Third defendant added in killing of family of six in southern Vietnam

The case file has been transferred to the provincial procuracy and the three accused are expected to appear in court in November or December, Tran Thang Phuc, director of the Binh Phuoc Police Department, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper.

On July 7, the whole family of Le Van My, 46, a local wood processing magnate, including his wife, daughter, son and two other relatives, were found dead in their villa with cuts on their throats.

Police immediately started investigation and eventually filed charges against two suspects, Nguyen Hai Duong and Vu Van Tien, both 24, a week later.

Binh Phuoc investigators have continued their job since and concluded that a third person, Tran Dinh Thoai, was also accused of being involved in the case and “there are no other suspects,” Phuc said.

“We have enough proof to convict these three accused of murder and robbery,” the chief police officer asserted.

Cold-blooded murder

Nguyen Hai Duong is identified as the instigator behind the vicious killing, who had made a thorough plan to commit the murder, according to Binh Phuoc investigators.

Duong and Le Thi Anh Linh, the oldest daughter of My, had been in a relationship but later had to break up as the girl’s mother wanted to choose another man for her.

Duong later began preparing a plan to kill all of the family members of his ex-girlfriend to wreak revenge for his broken love and asked Thoai to help him as an accomplice.

Thoai was arrested for investigation one month after the murder, and is now an accused in the case, according to investigators.

Duong told Thoai that they were going to break into the house of My to steal money. Duong said he would only get back VND800 million (US$35,714) worth of debt the businessman owed him, and the remaining would go to Thoai.

The two arrived at the villa at around 2:00 am on July 5 and Duong texted and phoned Du Minh Vy, one of the two relatives of My who were killed in the massacre, to open the gate for them. Duong had earlier promised to give Vy money to play online games in return for his help.

But as Vy did not answer the calls or reply to the messages, the two had to leave.

On July 6, Duong asked Thoai to carry out the plot again but the latter changed his mind and refused.

Duong then turned to ask help from Vu Van Tien, who agreed after a moment of hesitation.

The two came to My’s house on July 7 and this time managed to have Vy open the gate for them to break in.

Duong killed Vy immediately and went on to take the lives of other five people in the house. His ex-girlfriend was the last to be killed.

Police concluded that both Thoai and Tien only acted as accomplice and it was Duong who killed all of the six victims.

The three will be tried on charges of “murder” and “robbery” by the end of this month, either in November or December, according to the Binh Phuoc court.

They are expected to receive justice in a mobile court held outdoors in the province, according to the court representative.