California man hired hitman to kill wealthy dentist girlfriend for money, prosecutors say

close

Video

Suspect arrested in murder of 2 Delphi, Ind, teens

 ‘Crime Stories’ host Nancy Grace discusses the audio file from the suspect arrested for murder of two Delphi, Indiana teen girls on ‘America’s Newsroom.’

A California man orchestrated the murder-for-hire slaying of his wealthy dentist girlfriend to get his hands on her $14 million estate, prosecutors allege.

Nelson Chia, 73, who killed himself in jail after his arrest, allegedly plotted the murder of prominent Bay Area dentist Lili Xu, 60, according to a probable cause affidavit released Monday.

Chia and Hasheem Bason, 33, were arrested Thursday for the cold-blooded killing that the pair had planned for weeks, authorities said.

Chia, driving a car with Xu as his passenger, pulled up to the 1000 block of Fifth Avenue in Oakland's Little Saigon neighborhood Aug. 21 near where the couple had appointments for massages, records show. 

DELPHI MURDERS: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE 2017 KILLINGS OF LIBBY GERMAN AND ABBY WILLIAMS

Nelson Chia is accused of the murder-for-hire slaying of his longtime girlfriend, dentist Lili Xu. Police say he hired Hasheem Bason to shoot her. (Oakland Police Department/ gunmemorial.org)

A white Lexus sedan, that had been lingering a block away, pulled up next to Xu's car, according to surveillance footage.

Bason allegedly jumped out of the passenger side of the car, touched the trunk of Xu's vehicle and then confronted her as she exited the car.

NANCY PELOSI BREAKS SILENCE ON HUSBAND PAUL'S ATTACK: 'HEARTBROKEN AND TRAUMATIZED'

"A struggle ensued, the suspect shot Xu, and fled back to the front right passenger seat of the Lexus as it sped away," the affidavit says. "Chia observed the entire incident."

When police arrived, Chia and Xu were lying side by side on the ground near three spent shell casings. Xu was rushed to the hospital, where she died of her wounds, records show.

Chia told police in an interview that Xu had between $12 million and $14 million in property and assets from life insurance policies, trusts, LLCs, real property and accounts. 

Xu had appointed her scheming boyfriend as the trustee of her trusts, and he stood to immediately receive $1 million from her insurance policies. 

Lili Xu, 60, was shot to death in a murder-for-hire plot Aug. 21, 2022, according to police.

Although Xu's adult son was the beneficiary of the trusts, Chia had structured them to ensure he'd earn an income from her estate for the rest of his life, according to prosecutors.

Investigators retrieved DNA samples from the trunk of Xu's car, which matched Bason. Cellphone records showed that Chia and Bason began communicating in July and remained in contact after the murder.

A search warrant executed at Bason's home turned up the murder weapon, officials said.

"Chia agreed to provide Bason with a significant amount of money for murdering Xu," the affidavit says. "Bason acquired a vehicle, recruited a driver and waited to ambush Xu a block from the location of the appointment."

PAUL PELOSI ATTACKER TOLD INVESTIGATORS HE PLANNED TO BREAK HOUSE SPEAKER'S 'KNEECAPS': AFFIDAVIT

As Chia was booked into the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin, California, he was assigned to a single person holding cell to await further processing. During a routine check, deputies found Chia motionless on the floor. 

Lili Xu in an undated photo. She was shot to death on an Oakland, California, street Aug. 21, 2022. Police say her boyfriend, who killed himself after his arrest, orchestrated the hit to get his hands on her $14 million estate. (gunmemorial.org)

"It appears Chia took his own life," according to a statement form th Alameda Sheriff's Office.

Bason is being held without bail on nine counts, including murder by lying in wait, murder for financial gain and targeting a vulnerable victim.  

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

An attorney for Bason couldn't immediately be reached.

Haley Chi-Sing contributed to this report.