Perspectives

The Grandson Murder Case from a Criminologist's Perspective

Criminologist DAO TRUNG HIEU March 24, 2025 05:26

The case of a grandson hiring a friend to kill his grandmother in Hung Yen not only shocked public opinion with its brutality, but also sounded an alarm about ethical and psychological flaws.

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Two suspects and evidence in the case of a grandson hiring a friend to kill his grandmother in Hung Yen caused a stir in public opinion (Photo: Provided by Police)

In the history of modern criminal cases in Vietnam, there are very few cases that can make people exclaim indignantly: How could you kill your grandmother? However, that happened in a small village in Hung Yen province, where Nguyen Chu Thanh Tu, 16 years old, cruelly hired Le Gia Bao, a friend he met online, to murder his own grandmother - the person who raised him since he was a child.

The crime was carefully planned: from inviting Bao from Tay Ninh to Hung Yen, paying for all the travel and food expenses, to the scenario of committing the crime in the early morning. After killing Ms. Lam with a knife, the two subjects dragged the victim to the pond behind the house to drown her, then set the house on fire to erase the traces. That cruel act is not only a manifestation of serious moral deviation, but also a typical case of juvenile criminal psychology, where evil is not born in the dark, but grows from loneliness and cognitive distortion.

So what is the cause of that terrible tragedy?

First of all, we need to look at Tu's family situation to see the root of the problem. He grew up without his parents: his father went abroad to work for many years without returning, and his mother lived at her maternal grandparents' house for a long time. The lack of affection, care, and regular education caused Tu to fall into a state of psychological isolation - a common condition among adolescents in broken families. When a child is not listened to or understood, all negative emotions tend to accumulate and "explode" in extreme behaviors.

Second, being addicted to games and living in a virtual environment has caused Tu to deviate from the standard way of thinking and solving problems. When being raised in a game world, where death is just a restart, where people can use violence to win, Tu gradually lost the boundary between right and wrong, real and virtual. Getting to know Le Gia Bao through a game, then turning a "virtual" relationship into a real crime is a clear manifestation of the phenomenon of moral degeneration due to the uncontrolled online environment.

Third, it is necessary to look from the perspective of criminal psychology to explain Tu's cruelty. In adolescence, especially during puberty, individuals are very susceptible to intense internal conflicts: they want to be independent and express themselves, but are also confused by moral norms and limits. Without proper guidance, children can easily fall into a state of negating traditional morality and reacting in extreme ways. In this case, Tu's grandmother's constant scolding can be seen by Tu as a "threat to personal freedom" and as a result, Tu chooses to retaliate with violence - a behavior that clearly shows signs of antisocial personality disorder.

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Criminologist Dao Trung Hieu

It is impossible not to mention the assistance of his friend - Le Gia Bao, also only 15 years old. Agreeing to commit murder for only 5 million VND is another warning: about the easy acceptance of evil by a part of today's youth, who lack a moral foundation, lack resistance to evil and lack the ability to distinguish right from wrong in social relationships.

The incident in Hung Yen is not just a murder. It is a case of “killing the belief in family affection”. It is the breakdown of the moral foundation of the family - when a grandchild kills his grandmother, and when a child sees social networks and online games as a refuge, while the roof is just a place to eat, sleep and… hide crimes.

No one is born a murderer. But if a child lives without love, without proper discipline, without guidance from adults, then it is very possible that the initial small inhibitions will crystallize into unpredictable crimes. The case in Hung Yen is a valuable lesson for all of us: parents, teachers, schools and the entire community education system.

We need more hands reaching out at the right time, gentle but timely reminders, so that no child falls into the darkness of degeneration - and enters a path of no return.

Criminologist DAO TRUNG HIEU
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The Grandson Murder Case from a Criminologist's Perspective