Casepin
Back to cases

Solved case

1928 Fairfield murders

On August 22, 1928, eleven people, including seven members of the Wong family, were shot and hacked to death at the Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch near Fairfield, California. Leung Ying, a former ranch worker, confessed, was convicted in a one-day trial, and died by suicide on death row before his scheduled execution.

SOLVED1928

Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch, near Fairfield, Solano County, California

3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Bryan ranch bunkhouses
Bryan ranch bunkhouses — Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain

On the morning of August 22, 1928, a mass shooting and axe attack occurred at the Bryan ranch, also known as the Wong Gee ranch, located near Fairfield in unincorporated Solano County, California. Eleven people were killed, including seven members of the Wong family, in an attack that lasted less than twenty minutes and was, at the time, the worst mass murder in California history. The ranch, a 65-acre pear and peach orchard operated by Wong Gee, primarily employed Chinese laborers connected to the nearby Hatch ranch colony and Rockville's Chinatown community.

The perpetrator, Leung Ying, had worked briefly at the ranch as a cook and fruit picker in the spring of 1928 before being dismissed in June, reportedly after attacking Wong Gee's teenage daughter Nellie. Armed with a rifle and, by some accounts, a hatchet or cleaver, Leung moved through the ranch's dwellings, killing workers and members of the Wong family, including Wong Gee, his wife, and several of his children. Two of Wong Gee's daughters survived by hiding. Leung fled in a stolen car, prompting a manhunt across Solano, Napa, and Nevada Counties involving law enforcement from four counties as well as members of the Bing Kong Tong. He was located and captured without resistance near Grass Valley in the early morning of August 23 by Nevada County Sheriff George Carter and Deputy Sheriff Arthur Hellings, after officers observed him discard his rifle.

Following his arrest, Leung confessed to the killings, offering shifting explanations that included a belief the Wong family had tried to poison him, romantic rejection by Nellie Wong, and admiration for two other publicized killers. Investigators, including Solano County Sheriff John R. Thornton, dismissed early speculation that the killings were connected to tong warfare, instead attributing the attack to Leung's long-term narcotics use and resulting mental instability. While in custody, Leung attempted suicide by hanging in his jail cell, which was interrupted by guards.

Leung was arraigned on August 24 and pleaded guilty at a preliminary hearing on August 27, during which two men separately attempted to attack him before being disarmed by deputies. His trial at Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield began on August 30 and concluded the following morning with a death sentence, described as one of the shortest formal murder trials in California history. He was sent to San Quentin State Prison to await execution by hanging, scheduled for November 9, 1928.

On October 22, 1928, Leung died by suicide in his San Quentin cell by hanging himself with a knotted towel, becoming the first successful death-row suicide at the prison. The victims were buried in Rockville and later, in 1952, exhumed and reinterred near Colma by the Tung Sen Benevolent Association; some victims were repatriated to China for burial. The surviving Wong sisters, Ruth and Helen, were initially placed in an orphanage before being raised by relatives and later worked as nurses in San Francisco.

Key facts

Victims
Wong Gee, Yeung Foon, Cheung Yueng, Willie Wong, Nellie Wong, Wong Hueng, Low Shek Way, Johnnie Wong
Date
1928
Location
Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch, near Fairfield, Solano County, California
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 1927-09-17

    Jung Lee Fong, a worker from a nearby ranch, set fire to workers' quarters at the Bryan ranch and was fatally shot by Wong Gee in what was later ruled justifiable homicide.

  2. 1928

    Leung Ying was employed for about three months as a cook and fruit picker at the Bryan ranch before being dismissed in June following an attack on Wong Gee's daughter Nellie.

  3. 1928-08-22

    Eleven people, including seven members of the Wong family, were killed in a shooting and axe attack at the Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch near Fairfield.

  4. 1928-08-23

    Leung Ying was captured near Grass Valley, Nevada County, by Sheriff George Carter and Deputy Sheriff Arthur Hellings.

  5. 1928-08-24

    Leung Ying was arraigned at Superior Court in Suisun City and attempted suicide in his jail cell, which was interrupted by guards.

  6. 1928-08-27

    A preliminary hearing was held at which Leung pleaded guilty; Nellie Wong, the eleventh victim, died of an infected wound at Vallejo hospital.

  7. 1928-08-30

    Leung Ying's trial began at Solano County Superior Court in Fairfield.

  8. 1928-08-31

    Leung Ying was sentenced to death by hanging, with execution scheduled for November 9, 1928.

  9. 1928-10-22

    Leung Ying died by suicide in his cell at San Quentin State Prison, hanging himself with a knotted towel.

  10. 1952

    The Tung Sen Benevolent Association exhumed victims' remains from Rockville and reburied them at a Chinese cemetery near Colma.

Best coverage

No coverage has been attached to this file yet.

Know good coverage? Submit it

People

  • Wong Gee

    VICTIM

    Operator of the Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch, killed in the August 22, 1928 attack.

  • John R. Thornton

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Solano County Sheriff who led the manhunt and interrogation of Leung Ying.

  • Yeung Foon

    VICTIM

    Ranch worker shot while working in the orchard.

  • Cheung Yueng

    VICTIM

    Ranch worker fatally shot during the attack.

  • George Carter

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Nevada County Sheriff who tracked and arrested Leung Ying.

  • Leung Ying

    CONVICTED

    Convicted and sentenced to death for the August 22, 1928 killings; died by suicide on death row at San Quentin before his execution date.

  • Willie Wong

    VICTIM

    Three-year-old son of Wong Gee, killed by a blow to the skull.

  • Nellie Wong

    VICTIM

    Fifteen-year-old daughter of Wong Gee, shot in the abdomen and died of her wounds five days later.

  • Wong Hueng

    VICTIM

    Brother of Wong Gee, shot through a window at his residence.

  • Low Shek Way

    VICTIM

    Ranch cook, shot and later died at Fairfield hospital.

  • Arthur Hellings

    LAW ENFORCEMENT

    Nevada County Deputy Sheriff who assisted in the capture of Leung Ying.

  • Johnnie Wong

    VICTIM

    Four-year-old son of Wong Gee, shot through the head.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Archival records

  • Bryan ranch bunkhouses

    crime scene press

    Bryan ranch bunkhouses

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

  • John R. Thornton, Leung Ying, and George Frazer

    archival location

    John R. Thornton, Leung Ying, and George Frazer

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

  • Leung Ying full mugshot

    mugshot

    Leung Ying full mugshot

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

  • Wong family

    newspaper

    Wong family

    Credit: Unknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · Source

Places

Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch, near Fairfield, Solano County, California

38.2494, -122.0400

View on the map

Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On August 22, 1928, eleven people, including seven members of the Wong family, were shot and hacked to death at the Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch near Fairfield, California. Leung Ying, a former ranch worker, confessed, was convicted in a one-day trial, and died by suicide on death row before his scheduled execution.
Where did the murders happen?
Bryan (Wong Gee) ranch, near Fairfield, Solano County, California.
Who was convicted?
Leung Ying (Convicted and sentenced to death for the August 22, 1928 killings; died by suicide on death row at San Quentin before his execution date.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved. Last verified July 2026.
More cases in California

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDIC1928 Fairfield murdersWikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSCapture California Chinese KillerThe New York Times · 2026-07-07
  3. OFFICIAL / AGENCYCemetery Tales: Ying and Youngcdcr.ca.gov · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026
Last verified against sources
JUL 07, 2026

  1. JUL 11, 2026Coverage added

    Coverage added: 1928 Fairfield murders — the full case file (CasePin).

    Source

When a file you follow changes — a new development, a correction, fresh coverage — the Dispatch is how you hear about it.

The Casepin Dispatch

A calm weekly briefing from the archive — one case worth understanding, meaningful updates to files you follow, and the best new coverage. You’ll also get the one-time note when the apps land. No gore, no rumor, no drip.