Doan Van Sang, 57, former deputy head of Market Management Team No. 4 under the Market Management Department, has been indicted and temporarily detained for murder. Lang Son Provincial Police announced the charges on 3/12, citing Article 123 of the Penal Code, following the alleged disposal of a 39-year-old man's body at Sang's former unit's headquarters in Huu Lung commune.

Doan Van Sang before his arrest. *Photo: Market Management Department*

According to the investigation, the murder occurred on 25/1. Despite the heinous act, Sang maintained a normal routine, continuing to work and engaging in social media activities. In early 7, a video allegedly depicting Sang's brutal actions briefly circulated online before being removed.

The case resurfaced around mid-11 when an 88-page document detailing the incident and identifying Sang as the prime suspect was widely disseminated. This information spurred renewed public and police attention.

On 28/11, the Criminal Police Department of Lang Son Provincial Police searched Sang's residence, seizing relevant items. The following day, police extensively examined the former headquarters of Market Management Team No. 4, even employing a septic tank truck to search for crucial evidence.

The kitchen and restrooms of the headquarters were sealed off on 1/12. *Photo: Pham Du*

The former headquarters, located about 100 meters from Met Market on Chi Lang Street in Huu Lung town, is adjacent to a densely populated residential area. The 500 m2 property, surrounded by old walls, a 2-meter-high barbed wire fence, and a locked iron gate, includes six offices, one kitchen, one warehouse, and two restrooms. The building's facilities are old and dilapidated.

Mr. Hieu, a resident living next to the headquarters, stated that the Market Management Team had operated at this location for over 15 years, with 7 to 10 officers working daily. While the team began relocating to a new headquarters over one year ago, with a full move expected by 7/2025, officers still frequented the old premises. He recalled no unusual activities on 25/1, the first day of the Lunar New Year holiday, noting that a lively year-end party had taken place at the headquarters just days before.

However, in early 2025, seven adjacent households and one row of guesthouses began noticing a strange, foul odor and an increase in flies, with no apparent source. "On multiple occasions, residents' dogs even brought back bone fragments, but the matter went unaddressed until late November," Mr. Hieu recounted, highlighting the unsettling clues that preceded the renewed investigation.