Authorities are in pursuit of a man convicted of a heinous crime, following his no-show during a critical moment of his trial. Hai Vo, 56, was supposed to face sentencing for aggravated sexual assault on Friday but failed to appear, igniting a manhunt by law enforcement. This information comes according to the Travis County District Attorney’s Office, with an active arrest warrant now out for Vo.
The trial which began on March 25 led to a jury verdict on Thursday, declaring Vo guilty. Yet despite the gravity of the conviction, the request by the DA to detain Vo was inexplicably denied. Vo was finally sentenced in absentia to serve a decade behind bars. "After the jury convicted Mr. Vo, our prosecutors promptly requested that he be detained, but their request was denied," Travis County District Attorney José Garza stated in a report obtained by KXAN. "It is disappointing that the victim and their family must continue to wait for the defendant to be held accountable after our team secured his conviction."
The conviction stems from a May 2020 arrest related to a January 2020 assault. Further darkening the picture painted of Vo is an instance protracting his list of predatory behaviors. He is accused of sexually assaulting a disabled woman, who suffers from cerebral palsy and severe epilepsy. These chilling details come to light as CBS Austin reports, that Vo has been charged with first-degree felony aggravated sexual assault for the incident that took place during a Lunar New Year event.
According to court documents, the victim, a 24-year-old woman, was lured to Vo's home after he offered her a ride from Holy Vietnamese Martyrs Catholic Church. Once there, he forced her to change outfits, undressed her, and committed the act of assault, while cowardly warning her to remain silent, according to CBS Austin. As investigations deepen, the community, alongside the victims and their families, urgently awaits justice to finally firmly take its seat.
