On the afternoon of 22/12, the Da Nang People's Court sentenced Tran Bao Uyen, 63, a resident of Son Tra ward, to death for murder.

According to the indictment, on the morning of 6/2, Tran Bao Uyen had a conflict with his wife, Truong Thi Tuyet Trinh, 41, at their home. The argument, stemming from his wife's "stress-relief" travel plans, escalated. Uyen became violent, causing Ms. Trinh to fall and hit her head on a table, sustaining severe injuries.

Defendant Tran Bao Uyen. *Photo: Tu Anh*

Seeing his wife in critical condition, Uyen repeatedly struck her with a weapon, causing her death. To conceal his crime, Uyen divided the victim's body into three parts, hid them in a secluded area of Son Tra ward, and then disposed of them in the Tien Sa sea with other items.

On 10/2, authorities received a report of a female body part washing ashore in the Ba Tinh area (formerly Quang Nam). By 16/2, another body part was discovered in the Ninh Thuan sea (now Khanh Hoa), over 600 km from the disposal site. Forensic examination and investigation confirmed all body parts belonged to Ms. Trinh.

The prosecuting agency determined Uyen's actions were exceptionally severe, barbaric, and thuggish, constituting murder under points i, n, clause 1, Article 123 of the Penal Code.

In court, Uyen claimed he did not intend to kill his wife, stating that upon seeing her fall and hit her head with extensive bleeding, he panicked and acted uncontrollably.

Ngoc Truong