HCMC death row escapee recaptured

Nguyen Kim An, 27, was sentenced to death for murder and robbery in 2015 and lodged in Chi Hoa Prison in the city’s District 10, considered one of the most secure in the country, having seen only two successful breakouts in its 78-year history.

He escaped on July 13, although how he did it is not known yet.

A police spokesperson said" "An was captured at around 1 a.m. without resistance. Police officers are safe. He has been taken back to Chi Hoa."

On Tuesday last week, a riot reportedly broke out at the prison, with shots and screams being heard by locals, though the police have remained tight-lipped.

Witnesses heard a number of blasts from inside at around 7 p.m., and shortly afterward saw police units arrive.

In 2014 An lost his motorbike and computer, and decided to murder one of his school friends to steal his belongings.

On February 25 he bought five sleeping pills and took his friend, Dat, to a café and spiked his drink with the pills. But they were not enough to knock Dat out. The next day he bought a stronger drug and invited Dat to his apartment in Tan Binh District.

This time Dat had a seizure, and An strangled him to death. He took his iPhone, put his body into a bag and dumped it into the river from the Phu My Bridge in District 2.

He then tried in vain to extract a ransom of VND500 million from Dat's family by saying he had been kidnapped.

The murder came to light when someone found the bag with Dat's body.

An was arrested and confessed to his crime.

At Chi Hoa prison at least 81 inmates and staff were diagnosed with Covid this month.