Wash. Dad's Shooting Initially Appeared Random. Then Police Unspooled a Plot Stemming from a Custody Battle

Baron Li nearly lost his life he was shot nine times by a hooded assailant outside his home in Bellevue, Wash., in July 2020.

Though he survived, Li’s recovery was arduous. The father of a son with special needs, he was unable to work for more than a year, making it increasingly difficult to support his family.

Li was fortunate to survive. He suffered gunshot wounds to the chest, legs, arms and hips. In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Li was in and out of consciousness and required extensive, life-saving surgery.

Li’s story is featured in the upcoming episode of People Magazine Investigates. Titled “Teenage Assassins,” the episode premieres on Investigation Discovery on Monday, Dec. 9, at 9/8c and also streams on Max. (An exclusive clip is shown below.)

The shooting appeared random at first, but police eventually unspooled a strange plot involving Li's ex-wife and a bitter custody dispute over their son, Arik, who has severe disabilities stemming from a medical misdiagnosis early in his life.

Li had divorced his ex-wife, Shaerin Kelly, in 2015. She was initially granted custody of Arik, but he was removed from her care in 2017, with child services alleging neglect. In 2019, Li and his then-fiancée, Didee, as well as her two children, moved to Washington and won custody of Arik.

Custody of his son also meant Li had control over a valuable trust fund set up for Arik’s care following a medical malpractice suit.

Li immediately expected that Kelley had something to do with his attempted murder. But Kelley did not fit the description of the shooter, who was later identified as 17-year-old Joseph Good.

"I knew it wasn't random, which is what the police initially tried to suggest," Li told PEOPLE in 2021. "This was someone my ex-wife sent."

Related: Father Ambushed and Shot 9 Times 'Knew' Ex-Wife Sent Teen Hit Man — and Authorities Agree

Good had no obvious connection to Li. But police eventually discovered that he had been approached by Kelley who offered to pay him to kill Li. Good subsequently recruited his friend, Quincy Mendez, 17, who drove the getaway car used to go to and from the scene.

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Kelley even had a GPS device placed on Li’s car so the teens would have access to her ex-husband’s location.

The trio were all subsequently arrested and have since all pleaded guilty to charges connected to the shooting.

Kelley was sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading to attempted murder in 2023. Mendez received a sentence of over 8 years in a juvenile detention center for his role in the shooting, while Good was sentenced to more than 12 years.

People Magazine Investigates: Teenage Assassins premieres on Investigation Discovery on Monday, Dec. 9, at 9/8c and also streams on Max.

Read the original article on People