A Philadelphia man is now accused of helping bankroll a deadly murder-for-hire plot at a Westmoreland County strip mall, a twist that drags a long-murky case back into the spotlight. Prosecutors say he acted as the go-between who helped pay to have a South Philadelphia businessman gunned down in 2022, and the alleged trigger man is still on the loose.
Westmoreland County detectives have charged 47-year-old Tuan Minh Dang of Philadelphia with first-degree murder, alleging he helped recruit a hitman to kill 49-year-old Boyke Budiarachman, according to Observer-Reporter. The charges were filed at District Judge Wayne Vlasic’s office in Monessen, the outlet reports, and it is not yet clear when Dang will be transported from Philadelphia for his preliminary arraignment.
Budiarachman was shot on Nov. 5, 2022, as he walked toward his pickup truck after dinner in the Rostraver Square parking lot. Surveillance footage and courtroom testimony later showed the killer creeping up from behind, according to WPXI. Testimony has linked the shooting to a bitter falling-out between Budiarachman and a former business partner, Keven Van Lam.
Lam was arrested three days after the killing and faces first-degree murder and evidence tampering charges. He has been held without bond while the case grinds through the courts. CBS Pittsburgh and other outlets detailed Lam’s arrest and preliminary hearing as investigators built out the alleged murder-for-hire scheme.
Prosecutors say Lam turned to a contact identified in court papers only as “Mr. Tuan” and agreed to pay $65,000 to take care of Budiarachman. Lam told detectives he planned to leave the cash at a South Philadelphia mailbox, a detail that surfaced once long-sealed case records were finally opened. The unusual secrecy around the docket and why basic information was kept from public view for months has been examined by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Investigators now allege Dang picked up a duffel bag containing $65,000 outside Lam’s Philadelphia home and later told agents he hired an unidentified man to carry out the killing, keeping a cut of the money and passing the rest to the shooter, according to Observer-Reporter. FBI agents interviewed Dang in Philadelphia, the outlet reports, and the shooter’s identity is still a mystery.
Charges and court timeline
Dang is facing first-degree murder charges, the most severe under Pennsylvania law, and his case is expected to move next through preliminary arraignment and pretrial motions in Westmoreland County. Lam remains jailed without bond. After months of delays and legal wrangling over sealed records, his trial has been tentatively scheduled for May, according to previous reporting by The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Investigation status
Authorities say the search for the masked shooter is still very active, and the broader investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact Westmoreland County detectives, as local and county agencies coordinate their work while the new charges against Dang move through the courts.
