Shivangi Sinha
In July 2020, Baron Li was ambushed outside his apartment in Bellevue, Washington, as he approached his car. He was shot nine times but miraculously survived, recovering in the hospital. Although he did not recognize the attacker, Baron suspected who might have orchestrated the assault. The episode of ID’s ‘People Magazine Investigates’ titled ‘Teenage Assassins’ delves into the chilling details of the attack and the eventual arrest of his ex-wife, Shaerin Kelley, along with a young accomplice, Joseph Good.
Phone Records Helped Police Find the Connection Between Joseph Good and Shaerin Kelley
Baron Li and Shaerin Rose Kelley were married for several years and had a son, Arik. The young boy had to live with severe disabilities due to a medical misdiagnosis in early childhood. The couple pursued a medical malpractice lawsuit, using the settlement funds to establish a trust for Arik’s care. However, by 2015, their marriage had deteriorated, leading to a contentious divorce. The resulting custody battle was bitter and emotionally taxing for both parties. While Shaerin ultimately gained custody of Arik, their post-divorce relationship remained fraught with tension and conflict. In 2017, Child Protective Services (CPS) investigated allegations of neglect, leading to Arik being placed in foster care. He remained there until 2019, when custody was awarded to Baron, while Shaerin was granted weekly visitation rights.
By March 2020, a judge ruled that these visits must be supervised. On July 10, 2020, as Baron was leaving his Bellevue, Washington, apartment to head to his job as a car dealership sales manager, he was ambushed by a young man with a gun. Baron attempted to shield himself behind his car door, but two bullets knocked him down, followed by seven additional shots. Miraculously, he survived the attack. While recovering in the hospital, Baron informed the police that he did not recognize the shooter but strongly suspected his ex-wife, Shaerin, might have orchestrated the attack. He said she was possibly driven by a desire to control their son’s trust fund.
The investigation began, and surveillance footage led authorities to identify the vehicle used by the perpetrators. The trail led to 17-year-old Quincy Mendez, who had borrowed his father’s pickup truck. During interrogation, Quincy admitted to being the driver of the vehicle while revealing that the shooter was another 17-year-old, Joseph Good. Phone records obtained by the police revealed that Shaerin had allegedly contacted Good, offering him $13,000 to carry out the shooting. Good, in turn, offered $5,000 to Mendez to act as the driver. Authorities also alleged that Shaerin had placed a GPS tracking device on her ex-husband’s car and provided its location to Good. Following the July 10 attack, when Good reportedly asked Shaerin to finalize the payment, she responded that her ex-husband had “unfortunately” survived and suggested they make another attempt.
Shaerin Kelley and Joseph Good Are in Prison Today
Before any further attempts could materialize, all three individuals were arrested by the police on October 8, 2020. Joseph Good was charged with attempted murder and unlawful possession of a weapon. Shaerin Kelley faced charges of attempted murder with a domestic violence enhancer, elevating it to a capital offense. Quincy Mendez was also charged with attempted murder. By 2023, all three of them pleaded guilty to their respective charges and received their sentences accordingly.
Shaerin, now 34 years old, is serving a 13-year sentence at the Washington Corrections Center for Women. Good was sentenced to 152.25 months (over 12 years) in prison, though details of his incarceration have not been made public. Both remain incarcerated, serving their sentences for their roles in the attempted murder plot.
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