Vietnamese-American professor and wife shot dead in Ohio; son charged with murder

A Vietnamese-American photography professor and his wife were found shot to death inside their home in Oberlin, Ohio, on October 28. Their son has been arrested and charged in connection with the killings, according to authorities.

The victims were identified as Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, a professor at Oberlin College since 1998 and former head of its visual arts department, and his wife, Tran Thi Phong, 56. Police identified the suspect as Daniel Jones, 31, Nguyen-Duy’s biological son and Phong’s stepson.

Jones, who lives in Ashland, Oregon, faces six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and one count of tampering with evidence. Authorities have not disclosed a possible motive.

According to police reports, officers initially responded to a vehicle fire in a parking lot near the college’s music conservatory at approximately 9 a.m. on October 28. Investigators found a homemade chimney protruding from the roof of a Toyota registered to Jones, which had Oregon license plates.

Police later located Jones approximately one mile from the scene. Following their interaction with him, officers went to the family’s home to check on the occupants. After entering the residence, they found Nguyen-Duy’s body on the ground floor and Phong’s body in an upstairs bedroom. Both had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Jones appeared in Oberlin Municipal Court on October 29, where a judge set bail at $3 million. He remained in custody as of the afternoon of that day. His attorney declined to comment on the charges and said her client prefers to be known by his birth name, Asia Nguyen-Duy.

The killings have deeply affected the Oberlin College community and the broader arts community. College Vice President Carmen Twillie Ambar described Nguyen-Duy as a beloved professor whose passion for photography inspired many students.

Born in Vietnam, Nguyen-Duy immigrated to the United States and built a distinguished career as a photographer and educator. Among his honors was a 2011 Guggenheim Fellowship.

Students have created a memorial space on campus displaying some of his photographs. One student, Edie Carey, 21, who had taken several of his classes, described him as her favorite professor and said he inspired her to pursue art after graduation.