'Tired of providing': 94-year-old man's death at hilltop vineyard home appeared natural until surveillance video showed it was 'cold malice murder,' cops say

Police successful California arrested a 71-year-old antheral aft surveillance video allegedly showed helium suffocated his 94-year-old father-in-law.

Sy Van Nguyen died Aug. 11 astatine his Santa Rosa location successful the 5800 artifact of River Road, 65 miles northbound of San Francisco. Paramedics initially considered the decease natural, the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said.

But connected Friday, the victim's lad came to deputies with evidence. Nguyen had surveillance cameras successful his bedroom, and pursuing his death, his lad felt thing was suspicious and watched the video.

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"As he's reviewing it, helium saw the fishy fundamentally drawback a integrative container and a pillow, enactment it implicit the victim's face, suffocating him connected camera," Sonoma County Sheriff Sgt. Juan Valencia told local ABC affiliate KGO.

The fishy was identified arsenic Khanh Trong Tran, who lived connected Nguyen's spot but successful a antithetic home. Deputies went to the spot but did not find him there. They located him astir 4:15 a.m. Saturday, adjacent to a conveyance successful the 1700 artifact of Marlow Road, and took him into custody.

Valencia said Tran admitted to sidesplitting his father-in-law.

"Detectives did talk with the fishy and helium fundamentally said helium was bushed of providing for his father-in-law, who was 94 years old," Valencia told KGO.

Tran is present facing a murder charge.

"This is simply a straight-up, acold malice murder," Valencia declared.

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KGO spoke with neighbors who said Nguyen typically kept to himself. Tran was known to hike astir the area, which consists of respective vineyards.

"There's got to beryllium alternatives than coming to this," said neighbour Rod Burglund, who knew the fishy arsenic Ken. "You cognize astir of the radical successful the neighborhood, Ken was ever doing his ain thing, a walking acquaintance. I made vino from his grapes 1 year. To me, helium seemed similar an above-board benignant of guy."

Tran is successful the Sonoma County Jail without bond. His adjacent tribunal day is scheduled for Sept. 15.