People Magazine Investigates Recap for Teenage Assassins
-This week’s episode of People Magazine Investigates is called Teenage Assassins and covers the case of Baron Li, who was shot and nearly killed by two teenagers hired by his ex-wife to kill him.
-Baron was born in Thailand and moved to Hawaii as a young child. Due to the abuse of his parents, he was put in the foster care system.
-He would go on to marry a woman named Shaerin Kelley and have a son Arik. However, the couple would divorce due to her infidelity.
-In 2015, he would reunite with DiDee, a woman he’d been friends with but loved from afar. They would get married, but Arik was living with his mother until she was declared unfit, allowing Baron to get custody.
-On July 10th, 2020, shots were heard from the Li home, causing a flurry of calls to the police. They’d seen someone on the ground and another person running away. A neighbor would come by to help Baron, who had been shot several times. DiDee remembers coming outside and also calling the police while the neighbor tried to save his life.
-All the while, Baron, who was fighting for his life, kept asking that his son be protected.
-As Baron is rushed to the hospital and being treated, there is a mad search for the shooters. Everyone is scared and nobody feels safe. Witnesses share whatever information they have, which leads them to a pedestrian tunnel, where a K9 is able to pick up his scent. It is believed the shooter parked in that area and fled the scene.
-The crime scene contained blood, shell casings and a vehicle with gunshots in it. There was also nothing missing, eliminating robbery as a motive. Police began to wonder if Baron was a specific target.
-DiDee and several neighbors are questioned to try and figure out who would want Baron dead and why.
-It was also learned that Arik had serious medical issues due to an allergic reaction to milk when he was born. Baron and Shaerin were awarded $900,000 in a malpractice lawsuit, which was put in a trust for the custodial parent to use for his care.
-A camera across from the apartment complex where Baron lived was discovered and its contents would send the investigation in a whole new direction.
-A maroon F-150 is discovered, along with a person running and driving away. The figure reappears, but it is unidentified. They park close to where the K9 caught the scent and drives away again.
-The truck is tailed and two people are seen inside. Further investigation gets a plate number and address, leading to a man named Arthur Mendez. He is investigated and police try and find a connection between him and Baron.
-All the while, Baron remained in critical condition.
-Shaerin is also investigated since she is the ex-wife of Baron. She claimed people from Nevada, where Baron previously lived, didn’t like him and that they should be investigated. She refused to talk.
-DiDee’s ex-husband was not in town the time of the shooting and was eliminated as a suspect.
-Baron himself recalls the incident and how he was scared that he would die and leave his son behind. He shares details of being shot and how he thought they had been waiting for him to shoot him. He also knew Shaerin wasn’t the shooter because the build didn’t match.
-Arthur revealed that his son Quincy was the one who usually drove the truck, leading to him being investigated. He is found with a friend five days after the shooting. The friend seemed suspicious since he kept his seatbelt under his arm and also wore a distinctive gold chain. He is later discovered to be Joseph Good.
-Both guys were investigated as police try to find a connection between them and Baron.
-Meanwhile, Baron told his step kids what happened. They were both worried about him and wondered who would want to hurt him.
-DiDee kept the family together during Baron’s recovery.
-As the investigation continued, authorities inferred that Joseph was the shooter and Quincy was the driver. GPS tracking was also found connected to Joseph, which they now believe was used to track Baron. Sure enough, it was found on the underside of Baron’s car. It was soon checked out and it was discovered to be purchased by Shaerin.
-The device was registered shortly before the shooting and cancelled less than a week after the incident occurred.
-All three of them were arrested for their parts in the murder. Quincy’s mother was completely blindsided by his arrest and confused as to what was happening.
-The three were connected due to Shaerin’s brother going to school with the boys.
-Quincy cooperated with the police, leading to Baron asking the police to go easy on him. He got 8 years and 10 months in prison.
-Joseph got 12 years and 8 months in prison, while Shaerin got 13 years.
-Baron met with Quincy’s parents and told them that he has no ill will toward his son and that he forgives him. He also says he forgives Joseph.
-The internet dubbed Baron the Asian 50 Cent since he got shot nine times.
-Baron started a charity called Route 21 to help those in foster care live better lives.
-Shaerin will remain in prison beyond Arik’s 18th birthday, which will protect his trust.
