Actor Quentin Nguyen-duy, currently starring in Aaron Sorkin's A Few Good Men at Lincoln Center Theater on Broadway, has suffered a family tragedy: his father and stepmother were found shot dead at their home in Ohio. His sibling is now facing multiple charges over their deaths.
The 28-year-old's father, college professor Pipo Nguyen-duy, 64, and his wife Trần Thị Nam Phong, 58, were discovered at their property on Wednesday morning. Their child, Asia Nguyen-duy, has since been arrested in connection with the killings.
Arraignment and Charges
Asia was carried into the courtroom by four officers on Thursday after refusing to walk in, reportedly nearly pants-less. They reside in Oregon but are being tried in Ohio for their parents' murders.
At the arraignment, Asia told the court that they now use the name Asia and identify as non-binary, requesting gender-neutral pronouns. They had previously been identified as Daniel Jones.
Asia is charged with six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and one count of tampering with evidence. Their bond was set at $3 million.
Statements and Remembrance
The actor has yet to comment publicly on the deaths, but his mother, Élan Chardin Gombart, issued a statement on behalf of the family, asking for privacy as they come to terms with the tragedy.
"All families involved are deeply grieving this tragedy and ask for privacy during this time. We hope going forward that all news is treated with compassion and discretion for all involved," she told the Daily Mail.
Prosecutor Zachary Simonoff told the judge that Asia had allegedly said: "Everything I did was on my own accord, and I take full responsibility." He also cited a police report which stated that Asia told officers they had killed their family before giving them the address of the property at 33 South Pleasant Street.
Pipo was a professor at Oberlin College, where he was remembered as a much-loved member of the academic community. In a statement following his death, the university said: "Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of Pipo Nguyen-duy and his wife, Trần Thị Nam Phong, and with all who are grieving their loss."
"Pipo was a cherished teacher, artist, and colleague whose work and mentorship touched many lives at Oberlin. In the conversations, experiences, and memories shared during these past couple of days, one sentiment echoes throughout: he was beloved."
"As we honor him, we invite you to visit his remembrance page to offer kind thoughts, spend time with others' reflections, or leave a few words of care for his family and our community. Details about opportunities to gather and remember Pipo and Phong will be announced once they are confirmed," the statement concluded.
