NextSharkNextShark.com

Virginia Man Charged For Brutally Murdering His Wife on Valentine’s Day

Virginia Man Charged For Brutally Murdering His Wife on Valentine’s Day

February 18, 2017
SHARE
The Vietnamese mother of 35-year-old Ellie Mizon Tran is “heartbroken” and “devastated” after her youngest daughter was assaulted in her driveway around 8 p.m. on Tuesday in Virginia Beach.
Tran was taken to the hospital with critical injuries following the incident and later died, police said.
Her estranged husband, 29-year-old Joseph Vincent Merlino III, has been charged with second degree murder in connection with the death of Tran.
Police had a warrant to search Merlino’s home on Thursday, and the bomb squad was also on scene after investigators were concerned about items that may have been inside, WVEC reported.
She was full of life, very beautiful and…now she’s gone. It’s so heartbreaking. Of course, I’m devastated,” her mother, Oanh Ly, told WTKR.
Subscribe to
NextShark's Newsletter

A daily dose of Asian America's essential stories, in under 5 minutes.

Get our collection of Asian America's most essential stories to your inbox daily for free.

Unsure? Check out our Newsletter Archive.

Ly, who doesn’t speak much English and came to America from Vietnam with her husband three years ago, added that her daughter was so compassionate toward her parents.
In all, she was very sweet and kind. She took great care of us since we’re older. She would remind me to take my medication. She’s my piece of gold,” said Ly.
When Tran turned 35 on Sunday, she told her mother and father not to waste their $400 savings on a cake and presents for her.
It was just her so she would always worry about taking care of everything. Paying rent, paying for the car, all of our health insurance. All of that she had to take care of herself,” said Ly.
Tran provided for her entire family, including her 2-year-old daughter Julie and two elderly parents, who all live in a home in Virginia Beach.
She had lived in the U.S. for several years and worked as a nail technician, said Kim Lieu Huynh, whose sister worked with Tran, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
She learned how to do nails so she could have enough money to take care of us, her family,” explained Ly.
Although she and her husband have more family in Vietnam, they only want the best for their granddaughter and aren’t thinking of leaving anytime soon.
We’re going to stay here, we’re not going back to Vietnam,” said Oanh, believing that is what Tran would want for her daughter.
MOST READ
    HAPPENING NOW
      Khier Casino

      Khier Casino is a contributor at NextShark

      SHARE THIS ARTICLE:

      RELATED STORIES FROM NEXTSHARK

      Support
      NextShark's
      Journalism

      Many people might not know this, but NextShark is a small media startup that runs on no outside funding or loans, and with no paywalls or subscription fees, we rely on help from our community and readers like you.

      Everything you see today is built by Asians, for Asians to help amplify our voices globally and support each other. However, we still face many difficulties in our industry because of our commitment to accessible and informational Asian news coverage.

      We hope you consider making a contribution to NextShark so we can continue to provide you quality journalism that informs, educates, and inspires the Asian community. Even a $1 contribution goes a long way. Thank you for supporting NextShark and our community.

      © 2023 NextShark, Inc. All rights reserved.