Oberlin College professor Pipo Nguyen-Duy and his wife Tran Thi Phong were found shot dead in their Ohio home on Wednesday. The professor's son, Daniel Jones, 31, was arrested the same day and charged with six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and one count of tampering with evidence. He did not enter a plea and is being held on $3m bail.
The bodies were discovered after officers responded to a car fire in a parking lot earlier that morning. They found a Toyota hatchback with Oregon license plates registered to Jones and later arrested him about a mile away after a resident reported a "wet, disheveled man" at her door. He was taken into custody without incident and had cuts to his face and injuries to his hand and arm.
Following the arrest, police performed a wellness check at the home of Nguyen-Duy and Thi Phong and found them shot to death after forced entry. Officials said they were investigating a motive.
At his initial court appearance on Thursday, Jones did not enter a plea. His lawyer, Jenifer Berki Merrill, said he preferred to go by his birth name, Asia Nguyen-Duy. Oberlin police reported that Jones’s mother in Oregon told officials he had a mental illness and required medication.
Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, was a Guggenheim Fellow and award-winning photographer who was the studio art chair at Oberlin College, where he worked for nearly 30 years. He migrated to the US from Vietnam in 1975 as a political refugee. His wife, Tran Thi Phong, was 56.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The murder of a respected professor and his wife has shaken the Oberlin College community.
- The case raises questions about mental health treatment, as the suspect's mother reported he has a mental illness and requires medication.
- The tragedy highlights the challenge of domestic violence within families.
Background
Pipo Nguyen-Duy was a Guggenheim Fellow and award-winning photographer who taught at Oberlin College for nearly 30 years, serving as studio art chair. He came to the US as a political refugee from Vietnam in 1975. Oberlin College is a private liberal arts college in Ohio known for its progressive traditions.
What to Watch
- Jones's next court appearance and whether he enters a plea.
- Any further details about the motive for the killings as police continue their investigation.
- Potential discussions about mental health support and resources in the college community.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedPipo Nguyen-Duy and his wife Tran Thi Phong were found shot dead.World news | The Guardian: “Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, and his wife, Tran Thi Phong, 56, were found shot to death in their home.”
- SupportedTheir son Daniel Jones was charged with murder.World news | The Guardian: “The professor’s son, Daniel Jones, 31, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the deadly shooting. [...] Jones was charged with six counts of murder”
- SupportedJones did not enter a plea.World news | The Guardian: “He did not enter a plea.”
- SupportedJones was held on $3m bail.World news | The Guardian: “He was being held on $3m bail after an initial court appearance on Thursday.”
- SupportedThe victims were found in their Ohio home on Wednesday.World news | The Guardian: “Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, and his wife, Tran Thi Phong, 56, were found shot to death in their home.”
- SupportedJones was charged with six counts of murder, four of felonious assault and one of tampering with evidence.World news | The Guardian: “Jones was charged with six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and one count of tampering with evidence, the authorities said.”
- SupportedJones, 31, was arrested on Wednesday, the same day the victims were found.World news | The Guardian: “The professor’s son, Daniel Jones, 31, was arrested on Wednesday in connection with the deadly shooting.”
- SupportedOfficers responded to a car fire in a parking lot earlier that morning.World news | The Guardian: “Nguyen-Duy was the studio art chair at Oberlin College, in north Ohio close to Lake Erie, where officers had responded to a car fire in a parking lot that morning.”
- SupportedThe Toyota hatchback with Oregon plates was registered to Jones.World news | The Guardian: “The investigators found a Toyota hatchback with Oregon license plates registered to Jones.”
- SupportedA resident reported a “wet, disheveled man” at her front door, and Jones was found about a mile away.World news | The Guardian: “Investigators also discovered Jones’s wallet and passport along with ammunition in the car before finding Jones about a mile away more than an hour later, the police said. The officers responded to a call from a resident reporting a “wet, disheveled man” at her front door”
- SupportedAfter Jones’s arrest, officers conducted a wellness check, forced entry and found the victims shot to death.World news | The Guardian: “Officers searched his father and stepmother’s home for a wellness check after the arrest. After a forced entry, Nguyen-Duy and Thi Phong were found shot to death, the authorities said.”
- SupportedOberlin police reported that Jones’s mother told officials he had a mental illness and required medication.World news | The Guardian: “Oberlin police report she told officials Jones had a mental illness and required medication.”