In a Seattle home, a 21-year-old woman lost her life while trying to shield her mother from her stepfather. According to court documents, Angelina Tran was stabbed over 100 times during the harrowing ordeal. The Seattle police responded to a distress call on August 7th, arriving at a residence in the Beacon Hill neighborhood. The charging documents reveal a horrifying sequence of events that unfolded in the early hours of that morning.
Angelina Tran woke up to the sounds of a struggle within her home. Rushing to the kitchen, she discovered her stepfather, Nghiep Chau, attacking her mother. Without hesitation, Tran positioned herself between the two, desperately trying to protect her mother from further harm. A violent struggle ensued, resulting in both Tran and Chau falling to the ground. It was at this point that Chau retrieved a kitchen knife from a drawer and began repeatedly stabbing Tran. In a desperate bid for help, Tran’s mother fled to a bedroom and dialed 911.
The attack did not end there. Shockingly, Chau paused the assault on Tran multiple times, changing clothes, grabbing different knives, and even searching for his wife. Chau later admitted to the police that he would have killed his wife had he found her before their arrival. When the officers reached the scene, Tran’s mother and grandmother had already escaped to safety. As they approached, they witnessed Chau descending the stairs with a knife in hand. He dropped the weapon and was promptly apprehended.
Search warrants were obtained, and evidence was collected at the crime scene, including video footage from the home’s security camera system. The footage revealed the initial assault on Tran’s mother and the majority of the brutal stabbing attack on Tran herself. In light of the evidence, King County Prosecutors filed two felony charges against Chau: first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Prosecutors argued that Chau posed a flight risk and a danger to the community, leading a judge to set his bail at $5 million. Chau is currently detained in the King County Jail, awaiting his next court appearance on August 23rd in King County Superior Court.
Angelina Tran, a student at the University of Washington, was known for her passion for designing for accessibility and inclusivity. Her tragic death has left the university community shocked and deeply saddened. Victor Balta, a university spokesperson, expressed condolences to Tran’s family and loved ones, emphasizing the availability of counseling and resources for those in need during this difficult time. Tran’s professors and peers remember her as an exceptional student, actively involved in various research groups and student organizations.
In memory of Angelina Tran, a GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to benefit the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (Napca).