Nguyễn Cao Bằng appeared before Tây Ninh Provincial People's Court on June 26, where he was sentenced to death for murdering three members of a family in May. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — A court in the southern province of Tây Ninh on Friday sentenced a man to death for killing three members of the same family in a brutal knife attack last month.

The provincial People's Court sentenced 45-year-old Nguyễn Cao Bằng, a resident of Hậu Thạnh Commune, to death for murder and an additional three years in prison for the illegal use of military-grade weapons.

The mobile trial was held in Hậu Thạnh Commune and drew a large number of local residents who watched via video-link on a large screen outside the court.

According to the indictment, Bằng had lived with Mai Thị Thu Trang, 41, as common-law husband and wife since 2018. However, the relationship deteriorated after he became unemployed and financially unstable, leading to frequent arguments.

In March this year, Trang ended the relationship and moved back to live with her mother, Huỳnh Thị Điệp, 70, in Hậu Thạnh Commune.

On the evening of May 19, after drinking alcohol, Bằng hid a 27cm knife in his motorbike and went to a coffee shop opposite Trang's eatery.

Court documents showed that an argument broke out between Bằng and the victims. He then retrieved the knife and attacked the family.

He first stabbed Điệp twice in the back, killing her on the spot. When Trang attempted to fend him off by throwing boiling water and using a plastic chair, Bằng chased her and stabbed her in the back as she tried to flee.

Nguyễn Gia Bảo, Trang's 22-year-old son, attempted to intervene but was repeatedly stabbed and slashed despite pleading for his life.

Believing Bảo had died, Bằng initially tried to leave the scene. However, when he saw the victim regain consciousness and run towards a nearby medical centre, he returned, picked up a pair of scissors and attacked him again, causing fatal injuries.

Police arrested Bằng later that night in Hậu Thạnh Commune.

The trial was broadcast to a large crowd of curious local residents who gathered outside the court to watch the proceedings. — VNA/VNS Photo

Investigators concluded that his actions directly caused the deaths of all three victims. The court identified aggravating circumstances, including 'carrying the crime through to the end' and committing the offence against a person aged over 70. His only mitigating factor was his cooperation and confession during the investigation.

The court also ordered Bằng to pay more than VNĐ1.1 billion (US$42,000) in compensation to the victims' families.

At the time of the trial, Bằng has not paid the compensation ordered.

Prosecutors described the crime as particularly dangerous to society, noting that the weapon used was classified as a highly lethal weapon under regulations issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

The triple murder, which occurred on May 19, sent shockwaves through the local community and prompted widespread public outrage. — VNS