A 21-year-old engineering student at the University of Washington lost her life as she attempted to shield her mother from her enraged stepfather in their Beacon Hill home in Seattle, Washington, on August 7.
The incident began when Angelina Tran was awakened by the sounds of a struggle in her family home.
Allegedly, her stepfather, Nghiep Kein Chau, 54, assaulted her mother in the kitchen, landing over a dozen punches, according to official charging documents.
Tran immediately stepped in to protect her mother, which caused Chau to escalate his aggression towards both of them. Tran’s mother managed to flee and dial 911 while Tran attempted to restrain Chau and prevent his pursuit. At that moment, he grabbed a knife and stabbed Tran more than 100 times.
Chau paused his stabbing spree several times, reportedly changing his attire once and switching to a different knife, as captured by home security footage.
Law enforcement arrived just before 5 am to find Tran’s mother with facial injuries and Chau holding a bloodied knife. He allegedly confessed, “I killed somebody.” Through an interpreter he said he thought his wife was going to divorce him and take his money, and that he would have killed her if he had found her.
Chau faces charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder. He is currently detained at the King County Correctional Facility with a $5 million bond due to concerns about flight risk and community safety.
A fundraiser for the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging has been established in Tran’s memory, reflecting her compassionate nature.
