Duong Van Mom

Case record

Background

Dương Văn Môn was a Vietnamese mass murderer and a member of the Nùng minority. He was described as a poor rice farmer. He was said to have once suffered from an unspecified mental illness.

When his mother died, he reportedly dug a grave on village property but was denied permission to use it. As a result, he buried her in his own garden. He also fell severely into debt to finance the traditional funeral feast.

There was a dispute over his mother's burial.

The offence

On the third day of the traditional funeral festivities, his guests began complaining that there was not enough to drink and eat. Dương Văn Môn armed himself with two machete-like knives and began to attack his relatives and neighbours.

He first stabbed an elderly woman preparing food in his house, as well as a child. He then began chasing people throughout the village.

He killed a total of eleven people, including seven children. He left six others injured, including his wife. One of the wounded died in hospital, according to early reports.

On August 8, 1998, he killed at least eleven people and wounded six others in Krông Pắk District, Đắk Lắk Province, Vietnam.

Aftermath

After the attacks, he tried to commit suicide by swallowing insecticide. When he was captured by villagers 4 1/2 hours later, he was forced to vomit it.

He was then arrested by police and brought to a hospital.

Sentencing

Dương Văn Môn was sentenced to death for the murder of eleven people in November 1998.

Other details

He swallowed insecticide in an attempt to commit suicide. He vomited it when captured by villagers.