THE HONG KONG "PHUNG TY" CASE

Behind the urban splendor of Hong Kong, dark and sinister underbelly persists. Here, a group of women known as "Phung Ty" operate outside the law, engaging in the business of selling incense and Buddhist offerings. "Phung Ty" in Hong Kong isn't a single individual's name, but a general term for women practicing this profession.

In March 2008, a shocking series of murders occurred in Hong Kong. Within a few short days, numerous victims were brutally killed. Remarkably, all of them were "Phung Ty."

Were these murders random occurrences or a meticulously planned conspiracy? Today, we will explore this story. On March 15, 2008, a Saturday morning, Hong Kong police received a crime report. The caller was a man.

He stated that he had been out of contact with his wife since the previous day and, feeling something was amiss, had gone to her workplace to investigate. He discovered she was dead. Upon receiving the report, police quickly arrived at the scene on Tong Lac Road, Yuen Long, to conduct an investigation.

The building was littered with advertising flyers, many of them for prostitutes. These yellow flyers with red lettering were easily visible, and anyone could freely enter and exit. The room where the murder occurred was sparsely furnished, containing only a double bed and a small bathroom.

The crime scene was chaotic, showing signs of being ransacked; the wallet on the bedside table had been stolen. In the bathroom, police discovered the victim's body. The victim's neck was tightly wrapped in mulberry bark.

The autopsy results showed that the victim had been sexually assaulted before being strangled to death. The time of death was no more than one day. The victim, identified as Thi Minh Lan, 35 years old, was a female servant.

Her husband, Mr. Chinh Nien, is 74 years old. The significant age difference between the couple is a noteworthy detail in this case. They have one child.

Economically, the family is not lacking anything. They own two rental apartments, earning approximately HK$10,000 per month, equivalent to about 30 million VND. Due to the husband's advanced age and inability to work, he had to accept his wife's profession.

However, he had promised his wife that she would call home every day to let him know she was safe, but his worst fears ultimately came true. After examining the crime scene, the lock showed no signs of forced entry. The police initially suspected that Mr. Thu was a client of Thien Minh Lan. After their encounter, he murdered the victim and stole her belongings.

Due to the scarcity of clues, quickly finding Mr. Thu was not easy. That evening, the police received another report. The reporter was Bao Nhi, also a female police officer.

She stated that shortly before, she had received a call from her colleague and close friend, Ton Tu Minh. Ton Tu Minh's voice was weak and hoarse, saying she was in danger and needed to find her friend. Then, the call was abruptly cut off.

Bao Nhi immediately went to Ton Tu Minh's apartment on Hoai Nhan Dai Bo Street. Upon entering the building, she spotted a South Asian man. He looked panicked, appeared to be around 20 years old, and was frantically running out of the building. After knocking on the door and receiving no answer, Bao Nhi used the key to unlock it.

She was shocked to find Ton Tu Minh lying on the floor, barely alive, wearing only a bra. All the money in the house had been stolen. Bao Nhi quickly called the police.

The police arrived and immediately took Ton Tu Minh, who was in a coma, to the hospital. It was learned that Ton Tu Minh was 30 years old, divorced, and raising her 7-year-old son alone. She had resorted to prostitution to make a living.

After the incident, Ton Tu Minh's son was taken to the hospital. Seeing his unconscious mother, the boy couldn't stop gasping for breath. Despite the doctors' best efforts, Ton Tu Minh passed away the following morning due to severe injuries.

According to the autopsy results, she had been sexually assaulted before being shot. There were signs of strangulation on her neck, and the cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation. Through investigation, police discovered that the building's stairwell had surveillance cameras installed.

However, the electrical wires had been cut. There were also cameras outside the building, but at the time of the crime, the equipment was jammed, so no images of the perpetrator were recorded. The shop owner on the upper floor of the building stated that the area had many pimps.

They usually worked alone, without any protection. Furthermore, the lack of security meant they were constantly facing danger. Within just two days, two pimps had been murdered using this method.

The perpetrator seemed to have no intention of concealing their actions, acting extremely recklessly and ruthlessly. News spread, causing great panic and fear among the pimps in the area. Many had to close their shops and temporarily retreat to avoid further harm.

However, the tragedy didn't end there. On the night of Sun Xiu Ming's death, at 11 PM, the police received a report of another woman found dead at her home. The crime scene was on Guangfu Road, just one street away from the previous crime scene.

The victim was identified as Xie Qiao Yuan, 35 years old. Unable to contact Xie Qiao Yuan, a friend went to her house. Upon arrival, the friend found the bedroom door unlocked.

Pushing the door open, they found Xie Qiao Yuan lying on the floor, fully clothed. There were finger marks on her neck, and a towel beside her. Xie Qiao Yuan had suffocated.

An autopsy confirmed that Xie Qiao Yuan died by suffocation, based on the bruises on her body. The time of death was determined to be earlier than her own, but still within 24 hours. Tạ Khéo Nguyên's room was in disarray; her phone and belongings were missing.

Suspicious liquid stains were found on the floor. Unlike the two previous cases, the perpetrator did not sexually assault Tạ Khéo Nguyên. Fingerprints were found on the victim's neck.

Due to the similar method of killing, the police concluded the perpetrator was the same person. A serial killer was operating at large, targeting women. Three murders had occurred in just a few days, causing widespread panic.

It should be added that Hong Kong's sensitive industry often operates on a one-floor, one-area model. This is a unique form of the industry in Hong Kong, meaning that in a residential building, each apartment typically houses only one person.

This model operates within the legal gray area, neither entirely legal nor entirely illegal. Women working independently, without intermediaries, often lack protection, creating opportunities for criminals. A woman in an interview said that a colleague of hers had previously been stabbed in the street.

Now, the situation has worsened, causing her immense anxiety. To ensure her own safety, she has installed surveillance cameras outside her door and is more cautious when receiving customers. Residents living near the scene of the crime are also beginning to worry about their safety.

They are urging the police to quickly investigate the case. Hong Kong police are taking the matter very seriously, increasing patrols in areas with active prostitution, operating 24/7, and actively appealing to the public for information. A friend of the second victim, Sun Su-ming, said she saw a South Asian man. This man may be the perpetrator.

Police extracted security camera footage from the building and confirmed that a South Asian man was indeed present at the time of the incident. This person was about 1.70 meters tall, however, the camera footage was unclear. The man's face was not visible.

Sun Su Ming's friend also said that many South Asians live in this area and frequent it. These people are often deceitful.

Unless absolutely necessary, the girls usually don't want to serve them. Once, Sun Su Ming refused a South Asian customer. Unexpectedly, he became enraged, scratching and kicking the door, trying to barge in. This terrified her.

During the police investigation, just fifteen hours after the third victim was discovered, a fourth victim appeared on the afternoon of the 17th. The victim was identified as Dam Tu Phuong, 27 years old.

Her friend, unable to contact her since morning, reported it directly to the police. Police arrived at Dam Tu Phuong's apartment on Dianqi Dao Road, Tongluo Wan, and broke down the door. They found Dam Tu Phuong naked, kneeling before the toilet, her head submerged, a towel draped over her head.

She was pale, her eyes half-closed, blood oozing from her nostrils, her tongue bitten, her legs stiff, and bruises on her body. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation, with death occurring within 24 hours. According to the original schedule, Dam Tu Phuong's friend was supposed to be entertaining guests at the apartment that day.

However, due to the events of the past few days, this friend decided not to go to work and asked Tan Zi Fang to take her place. She even gave Tan Zi Fang some instructions and poured out her heart, never imagining that death would actually visit her. She was both saddened and terrified.

Police discovered that all four victims were female servants and shared other common characteristics. They were all immigrants from mainland China, around 30 years old, with long hair, heavily tanned, and had all been robbed. The perpetrator's motive may not simply be money, but also stem from serious psychological issues.

He may have been hurt by a female servant from the mainland, leading to resentment towards these women. Or it could be that his mother was also a female servant. He grew up in that environment, suffering long-term psychological impact, giving rise to hatred.

Therefore, he searched online for specific targets to take revenge on. At this point, the police obtained a crucial clue. The phone of the third victim, Tang Kheo Nguyen, was used after the crime occurred.

Through surveillance, police identified a 23-year-old Pakistani man named Da Giac. They recognized him as the Southeast Asian man whom Ton Tu Minh's friend had encountered. Da Giac called his brother, confessing to the crime and asking for financial assistance.

Police contacted Da Giac's brother, hoping for his cooperation and arrest. To mitigate his brother's sentence, Da Giac's brother agreed. He met Da Giac at a ferry terminal in Ba Cao on the afternoon of the 17th. After everything was ready, Da Giac was arrested.

He had no prior criminal record and honestly confessed to his crimes. It is known that Da Giac came to Hong Kong with his mother and two brothers when he was young and had acquired Hong Kong citizenship. He spoke Cantonese fluently.

Da Giac was a very reclusive person, rarely interacting with others. Despite having lived in Hong Kong for many years, he had almost no contact with the locals. Before his arrest, he lived with two brothers in Tai Po District.

Contrary to initial assumptions, Da Giac did not have the money for mental health treatment. He had also never been harmed by his mistress. Da Giac did not have a stable job, occasionally doing odd jobs at a car dealership.

However, his work was inefficient, having been penalized for individual orders, indicating poor character and irresponsibility. Da Giac's life was very dissolute; he was addicted to gambling and frequently supported his mistresses. These two activities consumed a large part of his life.

Once, after losing thousands of Hong Kong dollars gambling, he felt extremely frustrated. To relieve his stress, he saw an advertisement for Tian Ming Lan, his first victim. After enjoying himself, he suddenly lost control, strangled the victim to death, and stole her belongings.

During the murders, Da Giac felt an irresistible, uncontrollable pleasure. Therefore, he continued to use similar methods to kill Tun Tu Minh and Ta Kheo Nguyen. However, Da Giac confessed not to killing Dam Tieu Phuong, the fourth victim.

The forensic report indicated that Dam Tieu Phuong's exact time of death was between 3 PM and 5 PM on the 17th. After committing three murders, Da Giac fled to a remote area, leaving him with no opportunity to commit further crimes. To be certain, the police checked his immigration records and confirmed his alibi.

Subsequently, the police ruled Da Giac out as a suspect in the fourth murder. If there wasn't just one perpetrator, the danger to the remaining victims wouldn't end. So, who murdered Dam Tieu Phuong? Due to the nature of the victim's work, the crime scene contained numerous fingerprints from various individuals.

The police checked each fingerprint and identified several suspects. However, they had only been intimate with Tan Xiaofang and had alibis at the time of the crime. Therefore, they were not the perpetrators.

Later, Tan Xiaofang's husband came under police scrutiny. After the crime occurred, he immediately left Hong Kong for mainland China. Some speculated that Tan Xiaofang's husband had used a deceptive tactic in the serial murders of the two sisters, strangling his wife to death with a towel to frame the serial killer.

The deeper the investigation went, the more suspicious points the police discovered. By tracking Tan Xiaofang's phone signal, they located a pawn shop and immediately went to investigate. The pawn shop owner said that a few days earlier, a man had rushed to the shop to sell his phone, a chain, and some other items.

When the shop owner checked his phone, the signal attracted the police. The police showed the shop owner a photo of Tan Xiaofang's husband. The shop owner stated that the person selling the goods was not him.

Fortunately, the shop had surveillance cameras that clearly captured the image of the man. This man had even used Tan Xiaofang's Octopus card to make purchases at the shop. This proved that Tan Xiaofang's husband was not the culprit.

Thanks to the crucial information from the surveillance cameras, at 2:00 AM on March 20th, the police successfully apprehended the suspect. The suspect, identified as Lin Peifeng, 33 years old, 1.85 meters tall, nicknamed "Gao Lao," was formerly a chef. Before the incident, he had been fired for some reason.

After his arrest, Lin Peifeng offered little resistance and admitted to being involved in Tan Xiaofang's death, but denied intentional murder. Lam Boi Phong shared the same hobby as Da Giac: gambling. After losing all his savings, he accumulated a huge debt of hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars.

He faced the daily burden of debt repayment, and his life spiraled into ruin. Amidst this overwhelming financial pressure, Lam Boi Phong considered robbing someone. He noticed the sensational serial murders of several women and decided to emulate their methods.

He contacted Tam Tieu Phuong under the guise of a client, agreeing on a price of 350 Hong Kong dollars. During the act, Lam Boi Phong suddenly strangled the victim until she was unconscious. To prevent her from regaining consciousness and attempting to save her, he wrapped a towel around her face to prolong the process.

After ensuring Tam Tieu Phuong was incapacitated, he ransacked the house, stole valuables, and fled with the stolen goods. Afterward, he used Dam Tieu Phuong's Octopus card to buy some gambling paraphernalia to continue gambling. However, just a few days later, he was apprehended by the police.

With the two men arrested, the people finally breathed a sigh of relief. Authorities stated that they hoped this operation would serve as a warning to those intending to commit crimes targeting vulnerable groups, that they shouldn't act recklessly against this particular group and risk being caught in a trap. They also hoped the victims' families could soon overcome their grief and live in peace.

Many people visited the victims' homes to lay flowers and pay their respects. A year after the incident, in 2009, Ra Giac and Lam Boi Phong were tried. In court, Ra Giac changed his testimony, claiming he was manipulated by his creditors into getting involved in the case.

Due to his gambling addiction, he had lost a large sum of money and was unable to repay it. The creditor asked him to help collect interest from three regions. If he completed the task, his debt would be forgiven.

Under pressure, he agreed. To approach the victims, he pretended to be a customer, having fun with them, using that as an excuse to enter their homes. After the deed was done, he let the victims into the house and left. Only later did he learn that the three victims had been murdered.

Lam Boi Phong also tried to excuse his crime. He confessed that although he had robbed Dam Tieu Phuong, he had no intention of killing her. He claimed that while arguing, Dam Tieu Phuong accidentally fell headfirst into a bridge, unconscious.

Taking advantage of the situation, Lam Boi Phong wrapped a towel around the victim's face to prevent her from calling for help. After stealing her belongings, he didn't look at Dam Tieu Phuong once before fleeing. Only when he saw the news did he learn that the victim had died.

The two cases were decided in March and July 2009, respectively. The Hong Kong Court of Appeal declared defendants Lam Boi-fung and Da-gak guilty of murder, sentencing them to prison terms. Despite receiving the same sentence, their fates diverged significantly.

Lam Boi-fung disagreed with the verdict and appealed. At the 2011 appeals court, the judge ruled that the trial court had not adequately instructed the prosecution and had not clearly explained the autopsy findings. Therefore, the appeals court focused on the specific cause of death of Dam Tieu Phuong.

Forensic experts pointed out that Dam Tieu Phuong's neck and throat showed no severe bruising, indicating she had not been forcibly restrained. Therefore, the possibility of her accidentally falling and hitting her head on the toilet could not be ruled out.

Although Tan Xiaofang died from suffocation, the primary cause wasn't the towel that suffocated her, but rather the prolonged bending over, which obstructed her airway. If she truly fell into a coma due to an accidental fall, it would mean that Lin Peifong wasn't the direct cause of her death. The defense lawyer argued that Lin Peifong's motive was simple: robbery to pay off gambling debts.

During the three years Lin Peifong was in prison, his father paid off all his debts. Therefore, the lawyer requested a reduction in his sentence. After consideration, the jury reached a conclusion.

The Hong Kong High Court declared that the defendant Lin Peifong was not guilty of murder but guilty of homicide, reducing his sentence to nine years. The judge argued that Lin Peifong's actions were violent and cruel, showing no regard for Tan Xiaofang's life. Therefore, even homicide warranted severe punishment.

Upon hearing the verdict, Lam Boi Phong appeared very calm, bowing deeply before the jury and the judge. He also offered his apologies to the victim's family through his defense lawyer. Meanwhile, Ra Giac looked dejected and disappointed upon hearing his life sentence.

His brother was also present at the court. Upon hearing the verdict, he was stunned, his eyes reddened with anger, and he stormed out, refusing to answer any questions from reporters. The case seemed closed, but in 2016, a piece of news stirred public opinion again.

Ra Giac had died from attempting suicide in prison. At 6:00 AM on November 3rd, during a tea break, a prison guard at Thanh Bich prison discovered Ra Giac attempting suicide. He used a football jersey as a rope.

One end was tied to the window, the other to his neck, and both knees were bent to the ground. The prison guard immediately called him and took him to the emergency room, but he could not be saved. Pham Y examined Ra Giac's body and concluded there was nothing suspicious.

However, Ra Giac's family did not accept this result; they did not believe Ra Giac had committed the crime. Ra Giac's younger brother said that when he visited his brother in prison, Ra Giac said he had been treated unfairly, including being deliberately shoved from behind by guards while queuing, frequent cell break-ins, being locked in dark rooms, etc. Ra Giac's younger brother also pointed out that Ra Giac had previously appealed to the prison, and although the prison had apologized, the situation had not changed. Ra Giac's older brother also said that when he visited his brother, they had a very pleasant conversation, and Ra Giac showed no signs of wanting to commit the crime.

He stated that he was also applying for transfer to Pakistan to serve his sentence and had contacted Pakistani authorities. He also wanted to write to his family, hoping they could emigrate to Australia. Therefore, Ra Giác's brother asserted that his younger brother had been sexually assaulted and sought justice.

At the trial, the autopsy report of Ra Giác was presented for discussion. The forensic examination indicated that the ligature marks on Ra Giác's neck extended upwards, from the neck to behind the ear, with no other wounds or signs consistent with the conclusion of attempted suicide. A psychiatrist stated that during his first year of detention, Ra Giác repeatedly banged his head against the wall and feared he was going insane.

He had also attempted suicide and was taken to a psychiatric treatment center for examination. The psychiatrist insisted that he had an antisocial personality and was deliberately feigning mental illness. Afterward, Ra Giác refused psychiatric treatment, and the doctors did not monitor him further.

Therefore, the possibility that Ra Giác committed suicide cannot be ruled out. The prison authorities stated that they do not discriminate against any ethnic minority. There were no dark rooms in the prison as Ra Giác had mentioned.

Furthermore, Ra Giác was well aware of the deer-hunting process and had met with members of the deer-hunting team. However, he could not articulate the issue clearly. Therefore, the prison concluded that Ra Giác was not subjected to discrimination.

After deliberation, the jury, with a 4-1 majority, concluded that Ra Giác committed suicide. The court also ruled that Ra Giác's death was not the result of any other involvement. The case was officially closed.

However, the reflections left by this case are far from over. Hopefully, the tragedy of this victim will awaken society, prompting greater attention to vulnerable groups so that everyone can live safely, equally, and with greater dignity. The case of the murdered woman leaves behind heartbreaking stories and costly lessons.

Four women, four vulnerable lives on the fringes of society, paid the price with their lives. Their stories serve as a reminder of the dark corners where crime can stem from base desires, psychological instability, and social injustice. Da Giac and Lam Bon Phong, two evil perpetrators, one ended her own life in prison, the other lives with the torment of her sentence.

Is the sentence enough to deter those with dark and evil hearts? Can such tragedies be prevented? The answer is not simple. The murder case is not just a story of evil and punishment, but also a wake-up call about the need to protect the vulnerable, the importance of social justice, and our responsibility in building a safer, more humane community. Because, behind the glitz and glamour of the city of Pho Thoa, there are still vulnerable lives, destinies that need protection and support.

Only when we all work together will tragedies like the Phung Ty case not be repeated.