California real estate developer accused of being an accomplice to kidnapping and shooting of his business partner

The alleged accomplice of an Irvine man who authorities say kidnapped and shot his 60-year-old Chino Hills business partner was charged with murder on Monday, Aug. 3.

San Bernardino County District Attorney Jason Anderson also attached a special allegation that Jianquan Bo, 66, aided and abetted in the commission of a kidnapping, which would make him eligible for the death penalty.

Bo was the passenger in a car driven by a brother, 67-year-old Zhengfeng Bo, to the Monteverde Drive home of Shukur Aikebaer on the night of July 29. The electricity went out at the home, and when Aikebaer came out to look for the problem, one or both Bos shot him and placed him in the trunk of their Nissan Altima.

Deputies were quickly alerted, and when they stopped the car about 2 miles away, Jianquan Bo surrendered. But Zhengfeng Bo got out, opened the trunk and fired a shot inside at Aikebaer, who Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Monday still appeared to be alive.

Deputies then shot Zhengfeng Bo to death. Aikebaer died at the scene.

“This was a calculated act of violence,” Dicus said.

The next day, deputies served a search warrant at the Bos’ home on Crossover near Benchmark in Irvine.

Anderson said at a news conference Monday at the Chino Hills sheriff’s station that he expects Jianquan Bo to enter a plea on Tuesday. He is being held without bail at the West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga.

“We allege Mr. Bo knew exactly what the plan was when they went to the victim’s home,” Anderson said.

While Anderson said the exact motive for the attack is undetermined, investigators have a framework in place based on a business relationship. Zhengfeng Bo is listed as the chief executive officer of Panshi LLC, a real estate and business development firm, with Aikebaer listed as its secretary, according to public records.

“There has been some sort of dispute, a dispute in decision-making or financial loss,” Anderson said. “I think I’m not going to be able to answer that until we continue to look at business records to figure out, was there a business motive?”

Panshi was involved in a Pasadena apartment complex deal that soured, resulting in a pair of lawsuits.

In one of the lawsuits, filed by attorney Michael Chen, Zhengfeng Bo sought more than $800,000 that he had loaned to The Madison Collection LLC, the developers of the apartment complex, that had not been repaid after the project was completed, according to court records.

In another lawsuit, filed on July 27 by Panshi LLC against the developers, the company sought to oust the building’s property managers, Panoptic LLC, and give control to Panshi. The Madison Collection had been stalling the transition and was refusing to turn over the books and bank account records, the lawsuit said.

Chen declined to comment when reached by a reporter Monday.

Aikebaer’s family said they had not feared that harm would come to their patriarch, Anderson said.

“Motives are very consistent, unfortunately in murder cases, so what we are seeing here develop in terms of a motive is unfortunately not that unusual, but this is obviously shocking because it happened so quickly and just the nature of relationships and how everything went down,’ the district attorney said. “Very strange.”

A family friend said on a GoFundMe fundraising page that Aikebaer was the family’s only source of income.

“He was caring, selfless, and the most loving person. He was an amazing father to three beautiful young daughters, and a loving husband to his wife,” the post says. “During this incredibly difficult time, we want to come together as a community to help ease some of the burden so they can focus on grieving and honoring his memory.”

The eldest daughter, Zilana Aikebaer, described her dad as ‘the greatest father ever” in an interview with CBS Los Angeles.

Beck Liu, 31, owner of Yifeng Bistro in Yorba Linda, said Sunday that Aikebaer is from China and used to operate a restaurant.

Aikebaer “treated me like his own son,” Liu said.

Liu said he grew close to Zilana when they attended Diamond Bar High School after their families entered the United States in the early 2010s. He used to take the middle daughter to the park and would carry the youngest “like a baby.”

On a rainy, chilly trip the Aikebaer family made to buy a car, Aikebaer lent Liu his jacket.

“They treated me like family. I treated them like family,” Liu said.

“Mr. Aikebaer was a really nice person,” Liu continued. “I always argued with my mom in high school, and he told me how to treat the family the right way. He showed me how to be a father. … I believe he’s doing this to everybody because he is such a good person.”