On the afternoon of 30/12/2024, residents of Thanh Cao and Hong Phong 1 neighborhoods, Ngoc Son ward, expressed shock, stating that such a brutal crime had never before occurred in their quiet rural area. In a small, two-room house located deep within a winding alley, Nguyen Thi Nga, 48, Ngoc Anh's mother, was distraught, having lost two family members simultaneously.
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The crime scene where Khanh committed the acts. Photo: Le Hoang |
Nga had an unfortunate marriage and faced financial difficulties; Ngoc Anh was her second child. In 2019, after finishing grade 8, Ngoc Anh married Duong Van Khanh from a neighboring hamlet.
Ngoc Anh lived with her husband's family, less than one kilometer from her mother's home. The young couple had no stable employment, relying on farming. That same year, Ngoc Anh gave birth to her first son, which further strained their finances.
Recently, Khanh began working as a laborer in a wood chip factory for a plant in Nghi Son Economic Zone, while his wife worked as a kitchen assistant at a private preschool.
According to Nga, her daughter's marriage was unhappy, marked by frequent arguments primarily stemming from economic disputes. The family was unsure when the young couple separated, but about 10 days prior, Ngoc Anh filed for divorce, despite her husband's adamant disagreement.
Khanh wanted to reconcile and had repeatedly threatened, "If we go to court, I will kill your entire family." Three days earlier, Ngoc Anh moved back to her mother's house, intensifying Khanh's resentment.
"It's horrifying; no one thought Khanh would act so cruelly," said Le Dinh Viet, head of Thanh Cao village. He added that the court had scheduled a mediation session for Khanh and his wife that day. However, tragedy struck before the meeting could take place.
According to the initial investigation, at approximately 6:45 AM on 30/12/2024, Khanh drove a motorcycle, carrying a large cleaver, to his brother-in-law's house in Nam Tien street with the intention to kill. There, Khanh stabbed and slashed indiscriminately, causing his two-year-old nephew to die. The boy's mother was seriously injured and is receiving emergency treatment at the hospital.
The suspect, in a frenzy, then went to Nga's house and attacked his wife. Ngoc Anh died from multiple stab wounds. Nga was not home when Khanh attacked his wife.
After committing the crime, Khanh returned home, gave his wallet to his father, and gave some private instructions. He then drove 20 kilometers to Hop Luc International General Hospital in Dao Duy Tu ward, intending to commit suicide. According to Dr. Duong Tat Linh, the hospital director, Khanh, disheveled and covered in blood, took the elevator to the 7th floor and jumped to the ground, dying instantly.
Local authorities described the suspect as gentle, without a criminal record, and reserved.
Thanh Hoa Provincial Police initiated criminal proceedings for murder to investigate the case.
Le Dinh Phuong, Vice Chairman of Ngoc Son Ward People's Committee, stated that on the same afternoon, the ward directed local organizations and residential groups to assist the families with funeral arrangements for the two victims. The ward People's Committee has allocated funds to support each victim's family with 25 million dong (Khanh's family will not receive support as he is the suspect in the brutal crime).
Le Hoang
