Brother Arrested in Slaying of Actor's Father and Stepmother
The suspect, who is non-binary, was taken into custody for the murders of his father, an Oberlin College professor, and his stepmother.
Weeks after making his Broadway debut, actor Tom Blyth is mourning the loss of his father and stepmother, who were found dead in their Ohio home on Wednesday. His non-binary brother, Asia Nguyen-Duy, 31, has been arrested in connection with the slayings.
Quentin Nguyen-Duy, 28, who stars alongside Blyth in Aaron Sorkin's "A Few Good Men" at Lincoln Center Theater, was performing previews of the play when the tragedy struck. The official opening night was scheduled for Thursday.
Authorities responded to a vehicle fire in the Oberlin College Conservatory parking lot shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday. Inside a silver Toyota hatchback, police found boarded-up windows, a wood stove, a makeshift chimney, a wallet, passport, suitcase, keys, loose ammunition, and packaging for a Glock. The car belonged to Asia, police said.
Approximately an hour and 20 minutes later, Asia was found near Shipherd Circle and subsequently booked into the Lorain County Jail. Around 10:30 a.m., Oberlin Police forced entry into Pipo Nguyen-Duy's home, where they discovered the bodies of him and his wife, Thi Tran Phong, both with multiple gunshot wounds.
A neighbor, Greg Porson, told News 5 Cleveland that he encountered a disheveled and uneasy individual he believes to be Asia, who asked for a ride to the library to "escape this cult" and requested Porson record him.
Prosecutors stated Friday that a video exists of Asia allegedly confessing to the killings, saying, "He says he’s escaping a cult. He also says everything I did was on my own accord, and I take full responsibility." When apprehended by police, Asia was reportedly covered in blood and scratches. Quentin and Asia's mother, Élan Chardin Gombart, stated that the suspect was psychotic and needed medication.
Asia has been charged with six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and one count of tampering with evidence. His bond was set at $3 million.
Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, was an art professor at Oberlin College, where he had taught since 1998. The college released a statement calling him a "cherished teacher, artist, and colleague whose work and mentorship touched many lives."
Pipo, who immigrated to the United States from Vietnam at age 13 as a political refugee, had a distinguished career, including receiving a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship for photography in 2011. The Guggenheim Foundation mourned his death.
Quentin, who has appeared in shows like "Law & Order: SVU" and "The Rookie," has not publicly commented on his father's death. He was seen on stage for the opening night of "A Few Good Men." His mother, Élan Chardin Gombart, released a statement: "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."