By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Oberlin College professor Pipo Hieu Nguyen-Duy, 64, and his wife Tran Thi Phong, 56, were found fatally shot in their Ohio home on Wednesday, and their 31-year-old son has been charged with murder, police said.
Victims Identified
The bodies were discovered after officers conducted a welfare check at the family's residence in Oberlin. Nguyen-Duy was found on the first floor, while Phong was located in an upstairs bedroom; both appeared to have been shot.
Suspect Arrested and Charged
The couple's son, Daniel Jones of Ashland, Oregon, was taken into custody Wednesday morning after police encountered him near a smoldering vehicle in the Oberlin College Conservatory parking lot. He faces six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and one count of tampering with evidence.
Arraignment Details
At a Thursday arraignment, Jones requested gender-neutral pronouns and said they go by the name Asia Nguyen-Duy. Prosecutors said ammunition was found in the suspect's car and that Asia Nguyen-Duy had approached a resident to record a video claiming they were escaping a cult and taking responsibility for the killings. The weapon used has not been recovered. Bond was set at $3 million.
Professor Remembered
Nguyen-Duy had taught studio art and photography at Oberlin since 1998. College President Carmen Twillie Ambar described him as a beloved colleague and vibrant presence. Born in Hue, Vietnam, he immigrated to the U.S. as a political refugee and received a Guggenheim Fellowship in Photography.
