Man Murders his Wife and Daughter, Then Leaps to his Own Death NR11014kr

Los Angeles: The Los Angeles Police Department, Harbor Area Homicide Detectives, are investigating a double murder-suicide that occurred Sunday morning.

On January 9, 2011, just after 10 a.m., officers responded to a residence in the 25200 block of Petroleum Avenue to investigate a suspicious death.  When officers searched the residence they discovered the bodies of 56-year-old Bich Loan Truong, and her 27-year-old daughter, Lisa Truong Nguyen.  Both victims were pronounced dead at scene by Los Angeles City Fire Personnel.

Investigators discovered that at around 9 a.m., Sunday morning, the suspect, 60-year-old  Bach Xuan Nguyen, had gone to a relative’s house and dropped off an envelope. When the relative read the enclosed letter he discovered that Nguyen had murdered his wife and daughter and intended to commit suicide.  The relative drove to the Nguyen’s house to check on the family and found the body of one of the victims inside the residence. At that time the relative called police.  

As detectives were beginning their investigation at the victim’s residence, another call came in at around 11:30 a.m., of an apparent suicide in the 300 block of South Mesa Street in San Pedro.  Responding officers discovered that Nguyen had jumped to his death from the roof of an eleven story building.

The cause of the women’s death will be determined during an autopsy conducted by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, but initial indications are that the women died from blunt force trauma. Detectives are still trying to determine a motive for this crime, and the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information about this murder-suicide is asked to contact Harbor Area Homicide Detectives David Alvarez or Dan Burzumato at 310-726-7879, or 310-726-7880.  During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directe to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (877-527-3247).  Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (800-222-8477). Tipsters may also contact Crimestoppers by texting to phone number 274637 (C-R-I-M-E-S on most keypads) with a cell phone.  All text messages should begin with the letters “LAPD.”  Tipsters may also go to LAPDOnline.org, click on "webtips" and follow the prompts.