VIDEO (above): A relative of the suspect in the latest tragic episode of domestic violence says the marriage was very troubled in recent years. Danny Nguyen’s is accused of killing his ex-wife — then taking his own life over the weekend. Rumina Daya reports.
A tragic case of domestic violence has left a four-year-old boy without his parents and a family member who tried to intervene feeling guilty because she was powerless against stopping the cycle of brutality.
According to police, 27-year-old Thi Tam “Tammy” Nguyen was brutally murdered in the East Vancouver basement suite where she lived Saturday. Her estranged husband Cong “Danny” Nguyen, 31, was charged with assault twice in 2011, but it is not known if he was convicted, police said.
After finding Nguyen’s body, investigators began searching for Cong immediately and found his vehicle abandoned in Richmond near Shell Road and River Road. The search for a suspect ended Sunday afternoon when Cong’s body was found hanging from a tree on a trail near Gladstone Park off Kent Avenue, police said.
Melinda Linh Khiu, Nguyen’s aunt tried her best to give relationship advice to her nephew but said he was a control freak and his wife couldn’t handle it.
“He controlled about how they are going to live, how the money’s spent, how does she want to go out with friends, who she was going out with and when she’s coming home,” Khiu told Global News.
“Even when she worked overtime, he would go all the way to her work and wait for her and see when she would come out.”
The couple was married for about six years and lived with Khiu for several months. In 2013, police went to the residence again for another domestic violence call, but there wasn’t enough evidence to press charges.
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Roughly a year ago Tammy filed for divorce and custody of their son but Nguyen never signed the papers. His aunt said in the last six months, Nguyen quit his job several times and started gambling.
Nguyen and Tammy’s son was located unharmed and taken into custody before being released into the care of family and friends.
According to investigators, this tragic case highlights the issue of domestic violence in Vancouver.
This death marks Vancouver’s sixth homicide of the year.
~ with files from Rumina Daya and Christine Tam
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