US murder suspects lived secret lives in Vietnam

Phan, 26, and Nguyen, 25, were charged with committing a double murder in Houston, Texas, in January. Interpol issued a warrant for the duo on April 18.

Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security was alerted to the presence of these highly dangerous suspects in the country. The head of the Criminal Police Department (C02) directed the Criminal Investigation Division to collaborate with local authorities in a search operation for the suspects.

"The primary objective was to capture the suspects and prevent them from engaging in further criminal activities in Vietnam," a C02 officer said.

Murder suspects Polie Phan (L) and Jaiden Nguyen get extradited to the U.S. after hiding in Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the police

After a two-month search across multiple provinces and cities, on June 20, investigators identified a man that appeared to be Polie Phan. The suspect was living in a house in District 10, HCMC, using a fake identity. He rarely stayed at home and often spent time at the gym, bars, and clubs.

After confirming the subject was Polie Phan, a team of investigators closely surveilled all activities surrounding his house, which they believed to be the duo's hideout. However, during the investigation process, police were unable to find Jaiden Nguyen.

Polie Phan was frequently seen returning home alone, and he always appeared cautious and aware of his surroundings.

A tactical decision was made to surprise the suspect and minimize the risk of harming other people if he were to resist, an officer said. When Polie Phan arrived at the gym, police officers quickly apprehended him.

Polie Phan revealed that upon entering Vietnam, he and Jaiden Nguyen went their separate ways and muted all communication to avoid exposing their whereabouts. During their time in Vietnam, the duo received financial support from associates in the U.S.

As for Jaiden Nguyen, he was staying in the Central Highland province of Dak Lak, pretending to be an overseas Vietnamese returning to Vietnam as a tourist looking for a wife here. With his good looks, Jaiden seduced a local woman and the two became romantically involved.

Upon expressing his intentions to marry the woman and take her to the U.S., Nguyen won the approval of her family. They welcomed him into their home without knowing the man was wanted by Interpol.

Two days following Polie Phan's arrest, on June 22, Nguyen was captured at the woman's house.

"After learning the truth about their future son-in-law, the family was shocked and panicked," an officer said.

Polie Phan gets arrested in Vietnam and extradited back to the U.S. Photo courtesy of the police

The Ministry of Public Security coordinated with U.S. law enforcement to extradite the two suspects back to the U.S.

According to ABC13 TV station, the Houston Police Department accused Polie Phan and Jaiden Nguyen of a double homicide that occurred on January 27 in the city's West TC Jester neighborhood.

The first victim, Dana Ryssdal, 35, was found dead at the scene with gunshot wounds, while his friend James Martin III, 37, was reported missing. Days later, a duct-taped Martin was found in the trunk of an abandoned vehicle with multiple gunshot wounds.

Investigators suggest that a dispute related to drugs may be the reason for the killings, prompting the suspects to flee to Vietnam. Marijuana was found at various locations on the crime scene, along with $35,980 concealed in a refrigerator.

Polie Phan's girlfriend, Kathy Vu, 23, was charged with attempting to tamper with evidence by purchasing tools to clean up the crime scene. Although released on bail, Vu has been required to surrender her passport and wear a monitoring device.

Jaiden Nguyen gets arrested in Dak Lak Province, Vietnam. Photo courtesy of the police

During her testimony, Vu stated that Martin had made threats against several people, including her boyfriend, over a debt of $40,000 from a drug deal that did not go according to plan.

After being extradited to the U.S., representatives from the cooperation department of the U.S. Marshals Service visited Vietnam from July 11 to 16, marking their first official visit to the country. Meetings were held in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi to express gratitude to Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security's leaders and officers from the C02 department.

"We appreciate the collaboration and investigation efforts of Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security officers in locating these suspects and bringing them to face justice in the U.S. The partnership between Vietnamese and American law enforcement agencies has safeguarded both our nations. We hope that the capture of these criminals will bring some solace to the families of the victims," U.S. Consul General Susan Burns said, as cited in a statement.