Man who strangled old woman for being scolded gets 19 years in prison

After being scolded and beaten with a stick by an 81-year-old woman for teasing him about wearing old clothes, Hiep strangled the victim to death and then went into hiding for more than 8 months.

On July 11, Khanh Hoa People's Court sentenced Tran Minh Hiep (27 years old, alias "Nine Fingers") to 19 years in prison for murder.

Hiep at the trial. Photo: Xuan Ngoc.

At the court, Hiep confessed that after a drinking party with friends in June 2016, he drove around looking for a place to sleep. When he reached Van Luong commune, Van Ninh district, he saw a hammock in front of Mrs. Truong Thi Bot's (81 years old) house, and there were no people around, so he went in to rest.

Seeing the homeowner sleeping in bed, Hiep came in to wake her up and chat, then criticized the old woman for wearing old clothes. "When you don't wear them anymore, let me take them home to make a bed for the dog," Hiep teased.

After being scolded and beaten with a stick by Mrs. Bot, Hiep restrained and strangled the victim, causing her death. After committing the crime, he left but later returned to take the wallet and erase the traces of the crime scene.

After more than 8 months on the run, the murderer was arrested by the police.

"The defendant regrets that a moment of rashness caused the old woman's death. The defendant apologizes to the victim's family," Hiep said in court./.

According to VNE