On the evening of 28/6/1996, while his older brother was working at the coal mine, 20-year-old Dien Vinh Minh snuck into his sister-in-law Trieu's house. He waited until she was asleep before entering her room with the intent to rape her. Trieu resisted, and Minh held a knife to her throat.
The following day, Trieu took her two young children to her in-laws' house and recounted the events. Minh's parents scolded him. Trieu's husband was furious, but insisted that "family matters should stay within the family," and made his younger brother kneel before Trieu and apologize. Minh claimed he had spent the night at his girlfriend's house and denied assaulting Trieu. He challenged his brother to report him to the police. However, when Trieu's husband did file a report, Minh fled.
During his time on the run, Minh grew increasingly angry at Trieu for revealing the incident and humiliating him. He then decided on revenge.
Around 8 a.m. on 7/7/1996, Minh returned home, retrieved a sword and a dagger he had hidden in the pigsty, and rushed to Trieu's house intending to kill her. Villagers intervened and stopped him. Minh was taken into police custody that same day, and an official arrest warrant was issued on 23/7.
The Hoa Ninh District People's Court in Yunnan Province determined that Minh’s act of threatening and assaulting Trieu constituted rape. After the incident came to light, Minh planned to kill the victim and commenced the act, but failed due to external factors. The court deemed this attempted murder.
On 10/9/1996, the court sentenced Minh to eight years for rape, one year for attempted murder, and one year for receiving stolen property (an incident from 1995). His combined sentence totaled 9 years.
Revenge after prison
On 15/7/2002, Minh was released from prison after receiving a reduced sentence. His release, however, turned into a nightmare for two families.
Around 8 p.m. on 13/11/2002, harboring resentment from his 6 years in prison, Minh sought out Trieu. After confirming that Trieu's husband was playing chess elsewhere, Minh stormed into her house armed with a knife.
Trieu's gate was unlocked because her son had not yet returned from evening classes. Finding Trieu's bedroom door locked, Minh tried to break the lock but failed, so he smashed the window. Hearing the commotion, Trieu fled. Minh pursued her.
At the gate, Trieu encountered village official Luu Minh Phuc, 36, who happened to be returning from the fields. She cried out for help. Phuc intervened but was stabbed twice. Minh then caught up with Trieu and stabbed her.
Trieu's in-laws lived across the street. Hearing her cries, her mother-in-law rushed over, pulled Minh away, and urged Trieu to escape. Trieu ran to her parents’ house.
Minh’s mother and third older brother confirmed that when they arrived at the scene, they found Phuc lying on the ground, covered in blood. Minh said, "I came to kill my sister-in-law, but he grabbed me and wouldn't let go, so I stabbed him twice".
Around 9 p.m. that same day, Trieu's husband took her to the hospital where she was treated for minor injuries to her stomach and arm. Phuc died before reaching the hospital.
Minh fled the scene after the attack. On 15/11/2002, he was placed on the online wanted list.
20 years on the run
On 24/2/2022, police apprehended Minh at a rented house in Hunan Province using video surveillance and intelligence analysis. He confessed that after fleeing, he used his familiarity with the terrain to hide in fields and mountains, then took a bus to Kunming, and continued to travel to various other locations.
During this time, Minh found an identification card bearing the name "Tran Hao" and memorized the information to assume a false identity. For over a decade, he lived as "Tran Hao", working at construction sites. To avoid detection, he chose sites that didn’t require identification and stayed for a maximum of 3 months before moving on.
As a fugitive, Minh avoided interacting with others, regularly deleting contacts and messages from his phone. He also never drank excessively, fearing he might reveal his true identity if intoxicated.
"For over 10 years, I lived a life worse than a pet dog, constantly fearful and anxious. During holidays, I'd buy dried food and hide in a remote mountain area, returning to work after the holiday to avoid suspicion from colleagues," Minh recounted.
A verdict that leaves two families dissatisfied
In court, Minh claimed his imprisonment was due to his sister-in-law’s false accusation of rape. After his release, he wanted to confront Trieu about it.
According to Minh, when Trieu ran outside and called for help from Phuc, he pointed his knife at Phuc and told him to mind his own business. Minh claimed that to escape, Trieu pushed Phuc towards him twice, causing him to fall onto the knife.
The court rejected Minh's claim of accidental death, stating that it contradicted victim testimony, witness accounts, autopsy results, and other evidence.
The court found Minh guilty of intentional homicide, with a heavier sentence due to re-offending within 5 years of completing his previous prison term.
On 15/11/2022, the Ngoc Khe City People's Court in Yunnan Province sentenced Minh to death with a two-year reprieve.
Minh appealed the initial verdict. While Phuc’s family was unhappy with the sentence, they missed the deadline to file an appeal.
Trieu was also dissatisfied with the verdict, given the harm Minh caused her family and Phuc’s, as well as his 20 years on the run. She stated her family never filed a letter of forgiveness with the court.
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The victim, Trieu, says she doesn't want to talk about the past incident because it "feels like being stabbed in the heart." Photo: China Newsweek |
The victim, Trieu, says she doesn't want to talk about the past incident because it "feels like being stabbed in the heart." Photo: China Newsweek
Trieu’s husband, Minh's older brother, shared, "Honestly, I also wanted him to receive the death penalty, and immediate execution would be what he deserves. If that were the case, my wife wouldn't have to fear his revenge, and Phuc's family would find some solace."
Trieu's husband said his family doesn't want to see Minh again. "We are all in our 50s and 60s now. Remembering these events, the emotional wounds remain. It's hard to say whether we can forgive him or not. Who could forgive this?"
Lawsuit for compensation
After his death, Phuc was posthumously awarded the title "Brave and Advanced Individual for Righteous Deeds" by the Yunnan provincial government in December 2004.
Phuc's son, Luu Luong Cuong, stated he has not received any compensation from Minh or Trieu over the past 20 years.
According to Cuong, seven days after the murder, Trieu's husband visited their home to express his gratitude, offering two cans of food and three bags of sugar, and helped the family with farm work for a day. Apart from this, Cuong's family received no compensation from Trieu's family.
Trieu disputes Cuong's account. She claims she gave 300 CNY when Phuc's mother was ill and offered to pay for his children’s education.
In May 2023, Cuong filed a civil lawsuit against Trieu, the beneficiary of Phuc's courageous act. The lawsuit argues that Trieu should provide financial compensation to Phuc's family, especially since the perpetrator is unable to do so. Cuong is seeking over 1.32 million CNY in damages.
The Hoa Ninh District People's Court has officially accepted the case.
Trieu expressed surprise at being sued. She told the media that if Cuong were willing to negotiate, she could offer some compensation. "I'm not ungrateful. But they chose to sue me. I'm also a victim," Trieu said.
According to China's Civil Code, if someone is harmed while performing a righteous deed, the perpetrator is liable for compensation, and the beneficiary may or may not compensate. However, if there is no perpetrator, the perpetrator is unable to pay, or evades responsibility, the beneficiary should provide appropriate compensation to balance interests and encourage righteous acts, though not necessarily the full amount.
The appeal hearing for Dien Vinh Minh's intentional homicide case took place on the morning of 22/7 and lasted two hours. The court has not yet announced its verdict.
Tue Anh (China Newsweek, Qilu Evening News)
