Hanoi murder suspect killed woman to rob her: police

According to police in the city's Thanh Xuan District, the murder came to light when they were investigating a theft by Hoang Minh Hao, 20, of neighboring Bac Giang Province.

On Jan. 21 he had stolen a motorbike in the district and pawned it for VND10 million (US$410).

He spent that money during the Tet holidays when he went to the central province of Ha Tinh.

Hoang Minh Hao at a police station in Hanoi. Photo by police

On Feb. 16 he reached out to the murder victim, identified only as Linh, 21, who was working as a manager for several apartment owners in the capital.

He arranged to meet her pretending to be a prospective tenant looking to check out an apartment.

When they met at an apartment in Cau Giay District on the evening of Feb. 16, he noticed that Linh was on her own and came up with a plan to rob her.

He strangled her to death, hid her body in a kitchen cabinet and fled with her motorcycle and two mobile phones.

A few days after that he rented another apartment in Cau Giay District.

The police apprehended him on Feb. 19.

Linh was from the north-central province of Thanh Hoa and had moved to Hanoi to work after dropping out of high school.

She was from a poor family, had lost her mother as a child, and "always was a nice kid," her relatives said.

After a few years in Hanoi, she was managing several apartments for their owners, liaising with tenants and leasing them out.

She had returned from her hometown after the Tet holidays, and on Feb. 16 had told her family she was meeting a prospective tenant that day.

Her family could not contact her through the day and even that night.

The last time she was seen alive was at 6:35 p.m. on an apartment building security camera in Thanh Xuan District.