Vietnamese woman begs for mercy in court after poisoning husband, family members following dispute over money

A 39-year-old Vietnamese woman is begging for leniency after being sentenced to death for poisoning four family members and committing murder.

Nguyen Thi Hong Bich was given a death sentence on Nov 27 by the People's Court of Dong Nai Province after being found guilty of murder, illegal possession, transportation and use of toxic substances, reported Vietnam Net.

While she admitted to all three murders and appeared remorseful, the court stated that the sentence serves both as punishment and deterrent.

The murders were described as calculated, reflecting her utter disregard for the law and no potential for rehabilitation.

Death by cyanide poisoning

According to the indictment, Bich killed her husband in January 2023 after she racked up debt the year before. 

She had purchased cyanide, intending to kill herself, but decided to use it on her family members instead after disputes arose, said Vietnam Net.

She put cyanide into a capsule and gave it to her husband along with his other medications.

He was hospitalised after ingesting the pill, after experienced numbness in his limbs and high blood pressure. He died 10 months later.

His death did not raise any suspicion in the family, and Bich got 800 million Vietnamese dong (S$39,300) as payout from his life insurance policy.

She went on to poison her 7-year-old niece in 2024 following financial disputes with her sister, in addition to her 12-year-old nephew just several months later after being upset with her brother and sister-in-law.

She also attempted to kill her 19-year-old nephew, who lost consciousness after ingesting a cyanide-laced drink, but managed to survive.

Investigations found that he had been poisoned with cyanide.

The family made a police report after the incident and Bich was arrested after further investigations.

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dana.leong@asiaone.com