Couple Was Found Dead in Gruesome Scene. Then Cops Allegedly Found Chilling Wishlist in Son's Room

A 37-year-old New Jersey man accused of killing his parents in their home has now been charged in connection with their deaths, authorities said.

Patrick Lin, of Hillsborough, was arrested and charged on Wed., Jan. 28, with two counts of first-degree murder, one count of first-degree attempted murder and and two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement.

He is accused of striking his parents, David Lin and Jean Lin, both 69, in the head with a blunt object, the prosecutor’s office said. 

David was a prominent leader in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and in 2012 became the first person of Chinese ancestry to serve as president of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). He was also known for his work with OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates.

Officers were called to the Lins' home on the afternoon of Sept 25, 2025, when Hillsborough Township Police were asked to conduct a welfare check on the occupants, according to the prosecutor’s office.   

No one answered the door during their first visit. But about two hour later, officers were able to enter the residence.  

While checking the second floor, they found an adult male, later identified as Lin, who was wielding a weapon, the statement said. Officers opened fire on Lin with their service weapons, then brought him to a local hospital in critical condition.

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On the second floor of the home, officers discovered two deceased homicide victims in two separate bedrooms on the second floor. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Authorities allegedly found a notebook found inside Lin's bedroom with a wishlist, according to an affidavit of probable cause obtained by NJ Patch. The second entry on the list was"to kill someone and get away with it," the affidavit alleges.

Lin was served with the criminal complaint in the hospital, where he has been recovering since the shooting in September, the prosecutor’s office said. He is in stable condition and is being guarded by the Somerset County Sheriff’s Office.

When he is discharged from the hospital, he will be held in the Somerset County Jail pending his next court appearance.

It is unclear whether he has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf.

A GoFundMe has been started to set up the David Lin Memorial JACL and OCA Leadership Fund.