Dakota County (trfnews.i234.me) – A Little Canada man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the 2023 killing of a woman in an Eagan hotel room.
Court records show Philip Jedidiah Wong, 27, pleaded guilty in March to second-degree intentional murder in the death of 53-year-old Jianqin Zhang. His plea was entered on a partial Alford basis on the element of intent, meaning he did not admit intent but acknowledged the state’s evidence could support a conviction.
A first-degree manslaughter charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
According to the criminal complaint, Eagan police were called to the hotel just before midnight on October 12, 2023. A friend and hotel employee had found Zhang unresponsive. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner determined Zhang died from strangulation and ruled the death a homicide.
Investigators say Wong was at the hotel earlier that afternoon, arriving just before 3 p.m. and leaving less than an hour later. A friend later told police that Wong admitted to choking Zhang after paying her for sex. Wong allegedly claimed Zhang tried to blackmail him, saying there was a hidden camera in the room.
Wong was arrested several days later. As part of the sentencing deal, both prosecution and defense recommended a reduced sentence from state guidelines, citing Wong’s remorse and other factors.
On Wednesday, a Dakota County judge sentenced Wong to 240 months in prison, with credit for 658 days already served. Under Minnesota law, he must serve two-thirds of the sentence before being eligible for supervised release.
Restitution is pending while the court reviews possible losses claimed by the victim’s family.
For more on Minnesota’s sentencing laws, visit the Minnesota Judicial Branch.
I’m Chris Harper reporting for TRF News.
