A California man bludgeoned and stabbed his estranged wife with a machete and dumbbells before she could finalize their divorce — then stood over her dying body to record her final breaths, according to police and court documents.
Shede Mao, 55, was charged with murder in Santa Clara County after authorities allege he attacked his 49-year-old wife early Monday morning at their San Jose home. Prosecutors say the attack came after months of escalating arguments over her decision to end the marriage.
Background
Court documents obtained by Law&Crime reveal a pattern of violence that preceded the fatal encounter. The victim told Mao she wanted a divorce earlier this year during one of their fights, and prosecutors say tensions between them continued to escalate in the weeks leading up to her death.
A roommate and coworker told police they observed the couple engaged in a verbal argument at a local shopping center on Sunday evening, June 14. "He described Shede and [the victim] at each other's face during the argument," according to the court documents.
At approximately 12:45 a.m. Monday, the victim managed to call and text a female friend after Mao allegedly attacked her. The friend told investigators she observed a photograph showing the victim on the ground, bloody with visible injuries. She also received a text message containing a location "drop-pin."
The friend said she heard the victim say "Help" during a phone conversation with Mao, who had answered when she called repeatedly. "She heard [the victim] refer to Shede as 'husband' and requested something to drink," the documents state. "Shede responded that he was not her husband."
The Investigation
San Jose police responded to the home and discovered the victim dead in a blood-spattered room, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office. Upon their arrival, Mao allegedly walked outside covered in blood while still holding his phone.
Inside the residence, investigators documented widespread bloodshed. A bedroom light fixture in the ceiling, the door, adjoining wall, and carpet were all "stained with blood," police reported. Authorities recovered a large machete with a "blood-stained blade" along with two "blood-stained dumbbell free weights."
The victim suffered head and face injuries, cuts to her right hand, and a severed finger, according to court documents. A forensic review of Mao's phone revealed the alleged evidence: two photographs and two video recordings he allegedly took of his estranged wife while she lay bloodied and injured on the ground.
Key Takeaways
- Shede Mao, 55, is charged with murder in Santa Clara County for the killing of his 49-year-old estranged wife
- Police allege Mao attacked his wife with a machete and dumbbells after months of disputes over her decision to seek divorce
- Investigators say Mao photographed and recorded his dying wife while she lay bloodied on the floor
- A friend received a distress call from the victim before her death, including a location "drop-pin" from the home
- Police found the crime scene spattered with blood; a machete and dumbbells were recovered as evidence
What's Next
Mao is being held without bail. He is scheduled to appear in court on July 30 for a plea hearing. The case remains under investigation by the San Jose Police Department in coordination with the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.