San Pablo police announced on Monday that a Bay Area man who reported his family missing in September is now believed to be responsible for their deaths.
According to authorities, Phuc Vo, 40, notified the police about the disappearance of his wife and mother-in-law on September 13. During questioning by detectives, Vo claimed that his wife, Tho Ly, 40, and her mother, Que Tran, 74, had left their residence on the 1900 block of Sutter Avenue approximately a week earlier following an argument. Vo stated that they departed in Ly’s 2017 Honda Fit to visit family in Southern California.
However, police were unable to verify Vo’s account and noticed inconsistencies in his statements. They observed Vo driving his wife’s missing vehicle. In December, the Honda was discovered in Oakland.
Bay Area Man Reporting Family Missing Likely Responsible for Their Deaths, According to Police (Credits: X)
Based on these findings, San Pablo police obtained an arrest warrant for Vo, suspecting his direct involvement in the disappearance and presumed murders of Tho Ly and Que Tran. Vo was apprehended at his Sutter Avenue residence on February 29 and detained at the Martinez Detention Facility.
He is facing two counts of murder, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office. An arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.
Despite authorities’ belief that Ly and Tran have been killed, their bodies have not been located. Neighbors informed KTVU-TV that law enforcement officials conducted searches in the backyard of the Sutter Avenue residence.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office declined to provide further details due to the ongoing nature of the case but directed inquiries to the FBI’s guidance on no-body homicides.
