A California doctor was fatally beaten up in her home after she attempted to divorce her husband a second time, with police believing that her estranged husband attacked her as she tried to leave him. Yoon "Kevin" Lai has been arrested on charges of murder and arson in connection to his estranged wife Dr. Irene Gaw-Gonzalo's death. He pleaded not guilty on Tuesday, January 27, according to Patch. A judge ordered that Lai, 62, be held without bail until his next court appearance. Lai has been accused of killing Gaw-Gonzalo, 56, after she was found dead in their San Marino home on January 6, 2025. Gaw-Gonzalo previously filed for divorce from Lai in August 2024. The 2024 filing marked her second time she tried to divorce Lai, as she first filed for divorce just months after they got married in 2003. However, the former couple reconciled after the first filing and went on to welcome twin sons. Estranged Husband Accused of Killing Wife Before Divorce Gets Life Sentence An investigation into her death was launched after Gaw-Gonzalo was found dead. According to the death investigation report, obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Gaw-Gonzalo suffered burns over 60 percent of her body. Additionally, she had broken bones in her face and bruises all over her body when she was found. During the January 27 court hearing, Gaw-Gonzalo's relatives testified that the doctor wanted to end her marriage after she grew to believe that Lai was having an affair, according to Patch. Gaw-Gonzalo's sister said that she wanted to nullify the couple's premarital agreement amid the divorce process to make sure that her name was on a number of properties they owned together. Their premarital agreement was revoked in September 2024 because Lai reportedly believed Gaw-Gonzalo's would reconsider the divorce if her name was on the properties. However, she was not discouraged and still chose to move forward with the divorce. On the day of Gaw-Gonzalo's murder, Lai went to the home to pick up their sons for baseball practice around 7:00 a.m. He allegedly told the boys that he was going to work after he dropped them off, though a Ring camera in the neighborhood caught a car that resembled his returning to the property at 8:19 a.m. Connie Morris, Gaw-Gonzalo's neighbor, reported that she saw smoke coming from the home at 9:46 a.m. and called for help, according to a court filing. Morris also claimed that she saw Lai "peering out the door" at Gaw-Gonzalo's home. After Lai asked Morris what was going on, he reportedly told her that Gaw-Gonzalo was not home. However, Morris testified that she saw Gaw-Gonzalo's car parked in the driveway. Man Allegedly Gunned Down Wife in Front of Son Due to Her 'Cheating' Arson investigators said the fire was "intentionally set" and there was only damage to the room she died in. Additionally, police said that two indoor surveillance cameras in the home had been "manually disabled." Prosecutors claimed that Lai killed his wife for financial gain, alleging he killed her before setting the fire to cover up the killing. However, Lai's attorneys have maintained his innocence. "We look forward to defending these false allegations in court," the attorneys told the Los Angeles Times. Lai will be held in custody without bond, and his bail hearing is scheduled to take place on Monday, February 9.