On 9/9, the Quang Tri Provincial People's Court sentenced Dao, a resident of Kim Dien commune, to death for murder. He also received 12 years in prison for robbery and one year in prison for the illegal use of military weapons.

Nguyen Ngoc Dao at the first instance trial on the afternoon of 9/9. Photo: Dac Thanh

According to the indictment, Dao married in 2020, has two children, and lived with his family in Da Nang. He worked as a tour guide, while his wife was self-employed.

Marital conflicts arose, with Dao believing his wife was involved in another relationship. He repeatedly asked his in-laws to intervene, which strained his relationship with his wife's family. These conflicts led Dao to plan to kill his wife's parents for revenge.

Killing the driver, stealing the car

On 26/3, Dao carried a homemade gun and hired a 40-year-old Grab driver to take him from Da Nang to his hometown. En route, in a secluded area of Kim Phu commune, Dao asked to borrow the car, but the driver refused. The defendant then used the gun to kill the driver, moved the body into a melaleuca forest, and took the car.

Dao assembled the gun from components purchased on social media in 2024. He initially intended it for hunting animals on Son Tra peninsula.

The gun Dao used in the crime was seized. Photo: Quang Tri Provincial Police

Two in-laws attacked

That same evening, Dao drove the stolen car to his in-laws' house. After entering, he attacked them with the gun. His mother-in-law died, and his father-in-law was severely injured.

Dao then left the scene and used his phone to livestream about his family conflicts and the recent events. The indictment states that he attempted suicide but failed. After persuasion from relatives and police, Dao surrendered and revealed the location of the driver's body for authorities to find.

Before the incident, Dao had sent a petition to Da Nang city authorities regarding his marital conflicts. He requested action against what he considered a violation of the monogamous marriage system.

Dac Thanh