PALMER, Alaska (KTUU) – The trial for Duyvu Nguyen got underway Wednesday morning inside a Palmer courtroom. Duyvu is charged with first and second-degree murder after a 2017 shooting left Tuan Nguyen — who is unrelated to the defendant — dead inside his apartment complex.
Duyvu called 911 immediately after the shooting, where Palmer police found and arrested him outside Tuan’s residence. Duyvu was bailed out of jail about a month later.
Now, after nearly six years, Tuan’s family said they are ready for Duyvu to be tried before a jury.
“I can just meet him on the streets and walk should be to his shoulder,” CamTu Nguyen, Tuan’s sister, said. “That’s not justice.”
According to opening statements, Tuan was a former employee of a nail salon Duyvu owned in Anchorage — LA Nails — but was let go from his position before moving to Palmer. State prosecutors argue that Duyvu drove out to Palmer on the morning of Oct. 30 with the intent to kill Tuan over an alleged affair Tuan was having with Duyvu’s wife, Xuanlan Tran.
The defense, however, stated that Duyvu acted out of self-defense, claiming that Tran was raped by Tuan and a fight broke out between the two men when Duyvu went to Tuan’s apartment to confront him.
It was an emotional day for Tuan’s family who, for the first time, saw pictures and body cam footage of the crime scene.
“That’s our first time seeing his body in his last moment,” CamTu said, fighting back tears.
The trial is scheduled to last through the end of next week when the jury will begin deliberations.
“We pray for peace for our family — for his young daughter that doesn’t have his father to grow up with,” CamTu said. “Definitely praying for peace for everyone involved.”
Copyright 2023 KTUU. All rights reserved.