On 23/8, Phu Tho Provincial Police announced that they had charged and detained Ha for four months pending a murder investigation.

Ha Thi Lai Ha at the police station. Photo: Police provided.

At the police station, Ha wept and expressed remorse for her actions. She and her husband had been married for about 5 years and have a 5-year-old son. They both worked at the same company. On the evening of 16/8, the couple attended a party, consumed alcohol, and returned to their home in Zone 1, Phu My Commune at 0:20 am the following day.

Ha confessed that the couple argued about financial matters. During the argument, she stabbed her husband in the left side with a fruit knife, causing profuse bleeding. The victim clutched his wound and ran from the house into the yard. Ha chased after him with the knife but did not stab him again.

Her in-laws tried to intervene but were unsuccessful. The victim collapsed unconscious in the yard and subsequently died.

After the incident, Ha took a photo of herself crying, with stains on her shirt, and posted it on her Facebook page.