Tragedy after a drinking session between two close friends.
From a friendship and neighborly spirit built over many years, a seemingly ordinary drinking session turned into a tragedy that claimed two lives and left one facing legal consequences. What left many speechless at the trial was not only the sentence handed down to the defendant, Vi Văn Sơn, but also the forgiveness and compassion of the victim's wife – a woman burdened with the pain of losing her husband and the responsibility of raising three young children, yet choosing to forgive so that those left behind could have a chance to move forward after the tragedy.
From close friendship to tragedy after a glass of wine.
Vi Van Son (born in 1982) and Nguyen Van Nam (born in 1984) - the victim's name has been changed - both residing in Tam Hop commune, Nghe An province, were not only friends but also close neighbors for many years. Living near each other and being roughly the same age, the two frequently visited each other, treating each other like family. From farming work to gatherings, fishing, or drinking after work, Son and Nam were present at almost every social event of their neighborhood group.
Their relationship grew even closer when Nam understood Son's difficult circumstances. Born into a poor family, Son was later adopted by a family related to Nam, who cared for and raised him until adulthood. Even after getting married, Son and his wife struggled to make ends meet. When his adoptive parents passed away one after another, the burden of providing for their family fell even heavier on them. Witnessing this hardship, Nam and his wife helped Son's family many times, from providing support during difficult times to sharing in their daily lives.
The strong bonds of community, neighborly affection, and friendship that seemed so enduring unexpectedly ended in a heartbreaking tragedy, stemming from nothing more than a drinking session.
On the morning of May 26, 2025, Son, along with Nam and a friend from the neighborhood, went fishing in a ditch near their house. After fishing, the three returned to Son's house and continued drinking rice wine, with just a few simple peaches as snacks. As the alcohol took effect, the conversation shifted to various topics. Nam talked about his family building a tomb for his grandparents and mentioned the custom of exhuming the remains.
Hearing that, Son became annoyed. In his personal opinion, mentioning ghosts and exhuming graves in his own home was unlucky and could bring misfortune. Son spoke up to remind his friend to stop. However, Nam ignored him and continued the conversation. The back-and-forth created a tense atmosphere at the drinking party. The two began arguing, each saying their own thing, neither willing to back down.
Seeing that the situation was getting out of hand, his drinking buddy got up and left. Shortly after, Son also asked Nam to leave. As Nam reached the gate, in a fit of anger and under the influence of alcohol, he turned back and challenged Son. These words, combined with the provocation from alcohol, caused Son to completely lose control of his actions. Son went back into the house, grabbed a knife, and rushed out to attack his friend.
It was only when he saw Nam collapse, bleeding profusely and lying motionless, that Son was shocked to realize what had happened. Along with those around him, Son tried to administer first aid to the victim. However, due to the severity of the wound and its location in a critical area, Nam did not survive. From a drinking session among close friends, tragedy struck, resulting in one death, another facing legal consequences, and leaving behind immense grief for many families.
Shortly afterward, Vi Van Son was arrested by the police for investigation into the crime of murder.
At the first-instance trial of defendant Vi Van Son for the crime of "Murder," the defendant admitted to all of his criminal acts. Before the Judicial Panel, Son stated that there had been no prior conflict or animosity between him and the victim. They were close friends and neighbors. However, during a drinking session that day, when he heard Mr. Nam repeatedly talking about exhuming a grave, something the defendant considered unlucky for his family, Son felt upset and reminded him to stop. Mr. Nam did not stop, and even challenged him, causing the defendant, in his drunken state, to lose control of himself, leading to the crime and the tragic murder.
The selflessness of those who remain.
At the trial, defendant Vi Van Son clearly showed remorse and regret for his crime. Before the panel of judges, Son choked up as he admitted his mistake and said that since his detention, he has lived with guilt. Son said that if he could go back to the moment the incident occurred, he would try to remain calm, not letting alcohol and anger lead him to take the life of his close friend. "I am at fault towards the victim and his family. I wish to apologize to Mr. Nam's wife and children," Son said, then turned to the victim's family and bowed in apology.
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In the back row, the victim's wife repeatedly bowed her head as she listened to the defendant's testimony. Her frail, weary figure silently endured the pain that had not yet subsided more than six months after her husband's death. Each time the old story was recounted, the wound in her heart seemed to be reopened. However, when she spoke in court, the widow's words left many in attendance speechless.
She stated that she did not request the defendant to compensate for civil damages according to the law. She understood that the defendant's family was also facing difficult circumstances and did not want this tragedy to push Son's wife and children into a desperate situation. Considering the long-standing friendship between the two families, she only hoped that the defendant would repay the 38 million VND she had borrowed to cover her husband's funeral expenses.
Holding back tears, the woman choked back sobs as she shared that since her husband's death, she has been forced to struggle, playing both the roles of father and mother to raise and educate her three children. "Now I have to work twice or three times as hard for my children," she said. Rain or shine, she is busy with farm work, doing whatever odd jobs she can find, just hoping to earn enough money to cover living expenses and send her children to school.
What worries her most is that her eldest child is in high school, at a sensitive and vulnerable age, while her youngest child, in elementary school, mentions their father every day. The family is classified as near-poor, and life was already difficult; now, with the loss of their main breadwinner, things have become even harder.
Nevertheless, the widow did not request any compensation beyond what the defendant's family could afford. She only cautiously hoped that, if possible, the defendant's family could provide some assistance with the care and education of the children, "every penny counts." Faced with such forgiving words, the defendant Son bowed his head, unable to hide his remorse.
Then, the defendant's wife stood up and expressed her gratitude for the victim's family's forgiveness. She also explained her family's difficult circumstances. Since her husband's arrest, she and her children have left their home to stay with relatives. Without stable jobs and with precarious income, the family has only managed to raise 15 million VND to help with the victim's family's funeral expenses. The wife hoped the court would consider mitigating the sentence so that her husband could have a chance to return home, rebuild his life, and earn money to compensate for some of the losses he caused.
As the court adjourned for deliberation, two women, each burdened with a different kind of grief, sat silently in opposite rows of seats. One was the wife who had lost her husband, the other the wife whose husband was facing legal trouble. They were not directly involved in the murder, yet they were the ones bearing the heaviest consequences of the men's fateful drinking session.
At the end of the trial, the panel of judges sentenced the defendant Vi Van Son to 17 years in prison. As the trial concluded, the frail, weary widow silently led her young child home. Ahead lay a long and arduous road, filled with worries as her three children were still of school age. Despite the pain and uncertainty, she hoped the tragic story of the two families would end here, allowing those left behind to continue working, raising their children, and striving to move on from the tragedy.
The case has closed, but it leaves a valuable lesson about the consequences of violence and lack of self-control. Each criminal act not only takes a life but also leaves lasting pain for countless innocent people.
