1st Degree Murder Charges For Naperville Man In Wife's Death

NAPERVILLE, IL — The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office has upgraded charges to first degree murder for a Naperville man accused of beating his wife to death in early March. Alan Wang, 56, was initially charged with aggravated domestic battery and now two counts of first degree murder have been added to that charge.

According to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, the Naperville Police and Fire Departments arrived at the Yang's home on March 8 just before 5 p.m. for a report of a woman who was not breathing. The woman was later identified as Hongyan Yang, 35.

After an investigation, police say they learned that on March 7 Wang kicked Yang multiple times in their bedroom. A relative alerted police the following day after Yang was found not breathing.

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement, "The autopsy conducted by the DuPage County Coroner’s Office concluded Hongyan Yang died as a result of internal bleeding. With a cause of death now known, justice demands that the charges against Mr. Wang support the allegations that he is responsible for her death."

Related: Naperville Woman Dies After Husband Kicked Her Repeatedly: Cops

Naperville Police Chief Robert Marshall said, "This was a brutal and tragic crime, and I want to thank our officers and investigators, the DuPage County Coroner’s Office as well as the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office for their diligence in investigating this case in order to get justice for Mrs. Yang."

Wang is being held in DuPage County Sheriff's Office on $850,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 20.