Doan Trung Dung, arrested for the murder of Nguyen Thi Hat, 61, and her three grandchildren in Uong Bi City, was sentenced to death in a speedy trial yesterday.

Dung’s trial opened yesterday morning at the Quang Ninh Province’s People’s Court, and the ruling came soon after.

The 45-year-old convict, also from Uong Bi City, was charged with murder and robbery. The court has ordered him to pay VNĐ220 million (US$9,700) to the victims’ family as compensation.

Dung is a relative of the victims and often visited their house in Phương Nam Ward. On the evening of September 23, he went to their house to meet Vu Thi Thanh, Hat’s daughter-in-law, but she was at work. He then asked Hat to lend him money, but she did not have any.

As it was raining, he was asked to stay the night. While the family was asleep, Dung searched the house hoping to find something to steal so that he could sell it and get money to buy drugs. When he was caught searching, he stabbed and beat Hát and her three grandchildren – nine-year-old Pham Dinh Hung, eight-year-old Pham Thu Ha and three-year-old Vu Khanh Huyen – to death.

Dung also stole a ring and a pair of earrings, which he sold for VNĐ3.3 million (US$150).

The police found traces of fingerprints, shoeprints with blood and other objects at the scene of the crime, pointing to Dung as the prime suspect.

Dung was arrested on the evening of September 26, a day after the Quang Ninh police issued a most-wanted notice for him. 

VNS