According to the indictment from the Anqing City People's Procuratorate (Anhui province), Lam Vi Cuong met his girlfriend, Ly Quan, online in 2018. They began a relationship in late 2022 but broke up in late August 2024 due to disagreements.
Quan, born in 2002, studied at Anqing Medical College. She passed the college-to-university transfer exam in 2022 to become a nursing student at Anhui Provincial Medical University. Before her death, she was preparing for her postgraduate entrance exam.
In addition to her studies, Quan borrowed money to start an e-commerce business in October 2022.
Cuong, one year older than Quan, dropped out of college and worked independently. He moved from his hometown of Qianshan to Anqing, offering to help Quan transport goods and manage inventory, using his rented room as a warehouse.
The extreme ex-boyfriend
Quan’s close friend, Zhang, shared a house with the couple for three months in 2023. Zhang recounted that during that time, Quan’s business faced difficulties, but Cuong showed no concern. He did not work, spending his days gambling, inhaling laughing gas with friends, or playing online games. Despite his free time at home, he did no chores, and Quan covered all living expenses.
Disappointed with her unmotivated boyfriend, Quan frequently argued and wanted to end the relationship, but Cuong adamantly refused to let her go.
Quan complained that Cuong had a very extreme attitude, stating she "could not escape him". Each time she suggested breaking up, Cuong would kneel, slap himself, and threaten suicide. Their chat history from 2022 showed Cuong messaging: "Where are you? I'm coming to chop you to death."
Quan’s mother, Ms. Lin, met Cuong for the first time on 6/11/2023. That day, she had just been diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer. Quan brought a group of friends to visit her at the hospital, and Cuong was among them. Cuong was small and thin; he brought a box of milk into the room, only said "Auntie looks so young", and quickly left. Quan explained: "He must be busy, just stopped by to say hello." At that time, Ms. Lin did not know he was her daughter’s boyfriend.
Wishing to see her daughter in a wedding dress before she passed away, Ms. Lin began searching for a suitable husband for Quan.
In August 2024, arranged by her mother, Quan was introduced to a young man with a stable job. In late August, Quan and Cuong broke up. On 1/10/2024, Quan and her new boyfriend met both families.
Cuong believed Quan was unfaithful and decided to kill her and anyone he suspected of having a relationship with her. He then purchased tools like a dagger and a stun gun.
Tragedy in the rented room
On the evening of 1/11/2024, Cuong used the pretext of discussing their online business to meet Quan at his rented room. Quan had plans with her new boyfriend that day, so she spoke briefly and tried to leave, but Cuong stopped her, leading to an argument.
Cuong snatched Quan’s bag, throwing it near the sink in the living room. As Quan picked up her bag, he pulled her down and strangled her. Quan resisted fiercely but could not escape Cuong's grip.
After committing the crime around 8 p.m., Cuong hid the victim’s body under the bed and set the room's air conditioning to 16 degrees Celsius. Afterward, he went to the riverside area to dispose of Quan’s phone, watch, and items he had purchased earlier.
Around 11 p.m that same day, Cuong fled to Qianshan and was arrested on 3/11/2024.
Earlier, Quan’s new boyfriend had called the police around 10 p.m. on 1/11/2024, as he could not contact her.
Ms. Lin recounted that around 7 p.m. on 1/11/2024, she texted her daughter before going to bed. The next morning, she did not receive any messages from Quan, so she texted again but got no reply. At this point, she had a bad feeling. By the evening of 5/11/2024, police informed her that her daughter had been murdered and the culprit was her ex-boyfriend, Lam Vi Cuong.
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Victim Ly Quan was only 22 years old and preparing for her postgraduate entrance exam. *Photo: Sina*
The crime scene was a two-bedroom rented room shared by Cuong and a male friend, also used as a warehouse. Ms. Lin stated that Quan went to meet her ex-boyfriend alone without caution, as they still had business dealings, and Quan knew Cuong lived with a friend. However, that day, the friend had returned to his hometown.
After the murder, the friend contacted Quan’s mother via social media, saying: "If I hadn't gone home that day, perhaps I could have prevented the tragedy." Ms. Lin comforted him: "Don't feel guilty. If you hadn't gone home, he might have harmed you too."
Her daughter's death was a profound shock to Ms. Lin, causing her health to decline rapidly. She had stopped chemotherapy months earlier, "just trying to eat daily, living one day at a time" to await justice.
The fate of the reckless perpetrator
Cuong’s trial took place on 19/9/2025 at the Anqing City People's Court.
Ms. Lin noted that Cuong maintained a calm and indifferent demeanor throughout the trial. He retracted his confession, denied breaking up with Quan, and claimed she was "two-timing" and unfaithful. When the prosecutor asked why he referred to Quan as his ex-girlfriend in his statement to the police, Cuong replied: "Once dead, she becomes an ex-girlfriend."
Several witnesses testified that Quan and Cuong had broken up and had no contact outside of work. Cuong threatened to "retaliate against witnesses after being released from prison."
According to the victim's mother, Cuong could not accept the breakup. When he realized he could not reconcile, he plotted the murder. Cuong’s lawyer argued that they were still in a relationship but had emotional conflicts, aiming to suggest the victim was partly at fault and that Cuong acted under provocation.
Police revealed Quan’s last words were: "Lam Vi Cuong, I did nothing wrong to you."
The court found that Cuong had carefully prepared and planned the murder for a long time. Some of Cuong’s friends testified that about one month before the incident, Cuong had told them during a meal that he wanted to kill Quan.
When asked to apologize to the victim’s parents, Cuong reluctantly looked up at the ceiling and mumbled: "I apologize to Ly Quan’s parents." He did not bow his head or look directly at them. Ms. Lin also stated that Cuong’s family had not contacted them since the incident.
Quan’s parents waived civil compensation claims, insisting that the court sentence Cuong to death and execute the sentence immediately. Cuong owed Quan over 30,000 CNY, but the victim’s family did not demand repayment.
On 13/1, Cuong was sentenced to death for intentional homicide in the first-instance trial. He declared his intention to appeal.
Cuong told the judge he "hoped for a chance to restart his life" and promised to support the victim’s parents after his release from prison. However, from the moment he entered the courtroom until the verdict was delivered, he did not look at the victim's family once.
Ms. Lin recounted that when she heard the death sentence, Cuong’s legs trembled. She found his promise of support "ridiculous."
Holding her daughter’s photo, Ms. Lin wept as she left the courthouse: "It has been 439 days since my daughter was killed. I finally received this news, and it feels like dawn has broken."
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Victim Ly Quan’s mother holds her daughter's photo leaving court after the sentencing. *Photo: The Paper*
The verdict affirmed that emotional disputes cannot be a reason for exemption or reduction of punishment for murder.
Quan’s case highlights dangerous signs in intimate relationships. Cuong exhibited extreme emotional control, preventing a breakup by kneeling, self-harm, and threatening suicide. He lacked respect, disregarded his girlfriend’s wishes and decisions, and was overly financially dependent, lacking self-reliance. After the breakup, Cuong repeatedly harassed, stalked, and threatened the victim.
These characteristics have appeared in many serious criminal cases. Society needs to raise awareness about such dangerous relationships, and the law needs to provide more effective protection mechanisms.
Tue Anh (according to China Newsweek, Dahe Daily, The Paper)
