Love triangle and the fatal knife of a man in his twilight years

On June 4, Hanoi People's Court sentenced Mr. Do Khac Phong (born 1967, Phu Tho) to death for murder.

In 2007, Mr. Phong moved from Phu Tho to Hanoi, rented a room and worked as a security guard at a supermarket in Nam Tu Liem district.

Despite having his own family, the defendant had a love relationship and lived as husband and wife with Ms. T. (born 1967, Thai Binh), a woman who also had a family.

In early 2019, Mr. Phong broke up with his lover due to his wife and family discovering and preventing him from doing so. However, they still kept in touch via phone.

During this time, Ms. T. lived as husband and wife with another man, named H. (born in 1954, from the same hometown of Thai Binh). Knowing this, Mr. Phong became jealous. Feeling resentful because he thought he was betrayed, the defendant planned revenge.

On the evening of June 4, 2019, Mr. Phong brought two sharp knives and went to the rented room where Mr. H. and Ms. T. were living together to lie in wait.

Seeing Mr. H. driving his lover home on a motorbike, Mr. Phong rushed forward and stabbed his lover repeatedly in the face and chest. Mr. H. ran a short distance and then collapsed.

When his rival ran away, Mr. Phong rushed to Mrs. T., pointed a knife at his "ex-lover" and said: "Why did you dare betray me? Do you want to die?" Mrs. T. replied: "Don't do that, don't stab me, I beg you."

As she spoke, Mrs. T. tried to snatch the knife from the defendant’s hand. Seeing Mrs. T. pleading, the defendant got on his motorbike and left. Meanwhile, Mr. H. died at around 11 p.m. the same day after being taken to the emergency room by people.

In court, Mr. Phong showed his sincerity. However, the panel of judges said that the defendant's crime was especially dangerous, causing pain and grief to the victim's family.

Even though the defendant has many mitigating circumstances, it is necessary to remove him from social life for general deterrence and prevention.