The killer called the victim's wife to confess to the murder.
After killing his friend, Nuol left the scene, called the victim's wife to ask for help with the burial, and then returned to his hometown to dig a tunnel under his elderly mother's bed to hide from the police.
On August 19, the People's Court of Ba Ria - Vung Tau sentenced Le Van Nuol (58 years old, from Soc Trang) to life imprisonment for murder and robbery; and Nguyen Thi Minh Nguyet (54 years old) to 15 months in prison for failing to report a crime.
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The two defendants in court. Photo: Xuan Thang |
According to the indictment, on the evening of May 29, 2015, Mr. Vo Van Hoang (57 years old) visited Nuol's farm hut and stayed overnight. Nuol borrowed a motorbike to go for coffee and returned at midnight, waking his friend up to make tea. During their conversation, Nuol advised his friend to go back to his wife and children and not leave home again. An argument ensued, and the two used teapots and thermos flasks to hit each other.
Hoang then took a 40 cm long machete and attacked Nuol. Nuol managed to snatch the knife from his friend's hand and stabbed him multiple times, causing his death.
Nuôl stole the victim's car and fled. At the An Sương intersection (District 12, Ho Chi Minh City), he threw the murder weapon (a knife) on the roadside and ran to his mother's house in Kế Sách District, Sóc Trăng Province. Seeing his clothes stained with blood, his nephew screamed and ran away. Nuôl told everyone he had been in a traffic accident on his way home to visit.
Nuol called Mrs. Nguyet, Mr. Hoang's wife, confessing that he had "accidentally" killed his friend and asking her to arrange the burial. The perpetrator also borrowed 5 million dong from her to go into hiding. Next, Nuol contacted his fellow inmate Nguyen Thanh Phong, asking him to take him to Cambodia for treatment. Two weeks later, he wanted to return to his mother's house, so he asked Phong to dig a tunnel under his mother's bed to hide from the police.
After arresting Nuol, the police in Ba Ria - Vung Tau province also arrested Ms. Nguyet. Nguyen Thanh Phong is currently on the run.
According to the investigating agency, in 1988, Nuôl was sentenced to life imprisonment by the People's Court of Hau Giang province for murder and robbery, and served his sentence at T345 Prison in Xuyen Moc district, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province.
During the trial, Nuol confessed that while talking, he advised Mr. Hoang not to have a relationship with another woman and neglect his family. He only murdered him after being severely beaten by the victim.
Ms. Nguyet testified that she was preparing to divorce Mr. Hoang but denied having a romantic relationship with the man who killed her husband. She claimed that she gave the money to Nuol as payment for his work on her farm. However, her testimony was rejected by the presiding judge.
According to VNE
