Man condemned to death for killing 4 family members in central Vietnam

Vi Van Hai, also known as Man, received the capital punishment at a public trial opened by the People’s Court of the north-central province of Nghe An on Wednesday.

Hai, a resident of the province’s Tuong Duong District, was arrested on July 19 after committing the shocking murder in a mountainous field 17 days earlier.

The victims were Le Van Tho, 28, his wife Yen, their nearly-one-year-old baby, and his 70-year-old mother, who all lived in the same district as Hai.

The court ordered that Hai pay VND78.5 million (US$3,490) in compensation to Tho’s father, Lo Van Binh.

In addition, Hai is required to pay a monthly allowance of VND1 million ($44.5) to Binh from now until his death.

Similarly, the convict is liable for VND105.4 million ($4,700) in damages paid to Yen’s father, Le Van Toan, and a monthly allowance of VND1 million for her little daughter from now until the girl is 18 years old.

According to the indictment, on July 2, Hai was entering a mountainous field owned by Tho’s family to pick lemons when he met the husband.

Tho said that Hai was in a relationship with his wife then.

A quarrel broke out between the two men over the love triangle.

A fight followed and Hai used a knife to stab Tho to death.

At that time, Yen, who was holding her baby nearby, tried to run away.

Hai chased her and asked the woman to go with him, but she rejected it. He then slashed both her and the baby to death.

The serial murderer later encountered Tho’s mother and killed her with the knife, too.

The bodies of the victims, who had suffered many stab and slash wounds, including those in their necks, were discovered by locals on the afternoon of the same day.

After days of investigation, police identified Hai as the only suspect in the murder and detained him.