On 8/7, 51-year-old Vu Van Vuong was sentenced to death by the Hanoi People's Court for murder.

During the trial, the defendant admitted his guilt and expressed his desire to be "executed soon".

Police at Vuong's house when the four bodies were discovered, on the evening of 18/1. Photo: Pham Du

Police at Vuong's house when the four bodies were discovered, on the evening of 18/1. Photo: Pham Du

Vuong, a wicker craftsman, lived with his 78-year-old mother, his wife, a construction worker, and his two children, aged 17 and 19. He had stopped working since early 2024 to care for his bedridden mother.

According to the indictment, Vuong, in poor health and feeling "trapped and hopeless" due to difficult circumstances, decided to kill his entire family and then commit suicide.

On the morning of 15/1, Vuong's wife and son had left for work and school, leaving him at home with his elderly mother and 19-year-old daughter. Around 10:00 am, Vuong, after preparing a pestle and turning up the music on his phone, called his daughter into his room and committed the murder. He then hid her body under the bed and cleaned the bloodstains from the floor.

After having lunch at home with his 17-year-old son, Vuong murdered him as well, placing the two bodies together under the bed. At 5:00 pm, when his wife returned home and asked about the children, he lied, saying one was out and the other was sleeping at a friend's house after work. Later that night, he killed his wife and mother.

Vuong wrote a suicide note and attempted suicide multiple times by taking sleeping pills, but failed.

At 9:00 pm on 16/1, Vuong fled to Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province (now Ho Chi Minh City) from Giap Bat bus station. He was apprehended by the police two days later.

Hai Thu