Tragedy struck San Pablo when 40-year-old Phuc Vo was charged with the murder of his wife, Tho Ngoc Ly, and her mother, Que Thi Tran, following their disappearance in September last year. Vo, who had initially reported the two women missing, claimed they had left for Southern California after a family dispute, as per a statement from the San Pablo Police Department. The authorities' subsequent investigation revealed that the supposed trip couldn't be confirmed, raising suspicion about the fate of 40-year-old Ly and 74-year-old Tran.
Detectives on the case uncovered glaring inconsistencies in Vo's account, later observing him driving the same car he had reported as missing, the incident casting further doubt on his narrative, the San Pablo Police Department divulged. The vehicle in question, a 2017 Honda Fit, was found in December in Oakland; this, paired with other evidence gathered over weeks of investigation, implicated Vo directly in the suspected murders, culminating in his arrest on February 29, with aid from multiple allied law enforcement agencies.
Held at the Martinez Detention Facility, Vo faces two counts of murder with special circumstances due to the alleged multiple victims, the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office formally filed the charges on March 4, Henry K. Lee of KTVU reported. Despite the serious nature of the allegations and the arrest, the looming question of where Ly and Tran's remains are persists, as their bodies have yet to be located.
The case has generated a collaborative effort among the San Pablo Police Department, Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office, Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, and several other agencies, aiming to shine a light on the disturbing events leading to the charges against Vo. "Cops say he moved wife's car after saying he hadn't seen it," KTVU's Lee revealed, suggesting deliberate deception on the part of the accused, while Amber Lee of KTVU reported that San Pablo Police are continuing their search for the two women.
