Angelina Tran (inset, via GoFundMe); the Seattle-area home where she was brutally stabbed to death (KING 5 screengrab)
A 21-year-old engineering student was stabbed more than 100 times and murdered by her own stepfather after she tried to protect her mother from being punched in the face repeatedly, Seattle law enforcement alleges.
Angelina Tran, a University of Washington student set to graduate next year, ran into the kitchen at a 31st Avenue South residence in Beacon Hill in the early morning on Aug. 7 she woke up to 54-year-old Nghiep Kein Chau punching her mother in the face and head “about 15 times,” according to authorities.
Seattle Police said in a probable cause statement that when they arrived at the crime scene at 4:55 a.m., the suspect walked down a staircase holding a “large bloody fixed-blade kitchen style knife, which he dropped when ordered to do so by officers.”
After Nghiep was cuffed, cops found the “stabbed and obviously deceased body” of Angelina Tran, “lying on her back on the floor of the kitchen.”
CCTV security video from inside and outside the residence recorded recorded “the initial disturbance an assault between Nghiep and [Angelina’s stepmother], in addition to the homicide of Angelina,” cops said.
“Based on my review of the video available, Nghiep stabbed Angelina at least 107 times in the torso, using both the knife that he was carrying when confronted by arresting officers, and a separate meat cleaver style knife that he obtained from a kitchen drawer,” according to court documents.
“Angelina held on to Nghiep in an attempt to keep him from going after [her mother] and eventually they both fell to the ground,” documents continued. “Once on the ground, Angelina continued to try and fight Nghiep off, and at times turned her back toward him, resulting in her getting stabbed in the back.”
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The suspect then stabbed Tran “over and over again, at times taking a break for several moments” only to continue stabbing the victim repeatedly.
Shockingly, police say there’s also evidence that Nghiep changed his clothes during the attack. Authorities cited the defendant’s alleged statements about what took place.
“Nghiep said he was cold because he was covered in blood. Nghiep changed clothing and then elected a different knife from the drawer” before resuming the stabbing with the meat cleaver, cops alleged.
Authorities said that the defendant made damning admissions through a Vietnamese translator after being read his Miranda rights.
The defendant allegedly claimed the slaying took place hours after a visit to an urgent care facility for high blood pressure and trouble sleeping.
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In the middle of the night, Nghiep allegedly claimed, he started “bickering” with his wife “about money in the living room area on the top floor” and that he hit her in the face because he was angry.
“Nghiep explained that he thought [his wife] would divorce him and take his money” — even though she “never said this to him, but he thought it to be true,” a probable cause document detailed.
Authorities allege that Nghiep uttered “I killed somebody” when he was handcuffed.
In seeking a high bail for the first-degree murder suspect, King County prosecutors noted that he returned from Vietnam as recently as April and that it “appears that the defendant has significant financial resources.”
“Although the defendant’s criminal history is limited to a fishing violation from 2006, these facts demonstrate irrational and extreme violent tendencies sufficient to justify bail in the amount of $5,000,000,” prosecutors said.
Jail records show that Chau was booked on Aug. 7 at 11:29 p.m. and remains held at the King County Correctional Facility on $5,000,000 bail.
Nghiep was in a relationship with Angelina’s mother for 19 years and the couple got married last year. He has been ordered not to contact the domestic violence survivor.
Tragically, Angelina viewed the defendant as her father, cops said.
A GoFundMe campaign in Tran’s memory has raised approximately $20,000 as of Thursday morning, with funds to go towards the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging, “reflecting Angelina’s spirit and her commitment to making a difference in the lives of elderly individuals.”
Tran was described as an “incredible daughter, a cherished friend, and above all, a perfect girlfriend” who “excelled in her studies, with just one more year remaining at the University of Washington,” where she was studying engineering.
“The pain of her absence is profound as she was a gem of a human being. The impact she had on all those fortunate enough to know her was significant,” the GoFundMe post said. “Her radiant smile was a source of immense joy, and though the ache of her loss is deep, we believe Angelina would want us to stand strong and keep our smiles bright.”
Nghiep’s arraignment is currently scheduled for 8:30 a.m. on Aug. 31. The state and defense mutually acknowledged that the defendant is, as of right now, “medically unavailable to attend court.”
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