On February 7, 2019, the usually joyful spirit of Vietnam’s Lunar New Year celebrations was shattered by news so horrific that it dominated headlines for months.

A young woman’s lifeless body was found inside an abandoned pigsty in Dien Bien Province. She had been missing for days, and the grim discovery ended a frantic search involving hundreds of police officers and volunteers.

But what truly shocked the nation was not just the brutality of the crime — it was the revelation that someone very close to her, someone who should have been her protector, was linked to the tragedy.

A Daughter Full of Dreams

Her name was Cao My Duyen, a 22-year-old college student from Dien Bien Phu City. Bright, beautiful, and full of ambition, she was studying at Thai Nguyen University, an 11-hour journey from her home.

In early February 2019, she returned home for the Lunar New Year. She spent her days helping her mother, Tran Thi Hien, sell chickens at the bustling Muong Thanh Market. It was supposed to be a happy reunion — until a stranger approached.

The Disappearance

On February 4, a man came to their stall, expressing interest in buying a large quantity of chickens. He asked for Duyen’s number, claiming he would call once he confirmed the order. That evening, he phoned her, requesting delivery to another market 4 km away.

Duyen set off on her motorbike with the chickens. She never came back.

Her family tried calling her repeatedly. No answer. By midnight, panic set in. At 1 a.m., her mother reported her missing to the police.

A Search That Gripped the Nation

Over 300 volunteers joined the hunt. CCTV footage showed her waiting at a location — and then, nothing.

On February 6, her motorbike was found abandoned in a vacant lot, far from both the market and the delivery address. The next morning, her body was discovered — with chilling signs pointing to deliberate attempts to mislead investigators.

Unraveling the Web

The first major break came with the arrest of Vuong Van Hung, a man with a criminal history. In his possession: Duyen’s ATM card and motorbike registration.

But as police dug deeper, the story became darker. Evidence and confessions linked seven men and one woman to the crime. The brutality she endured over the course of several days left seasoned investigators shaken.

And then came the most devastating twist — the investigation revealed that her own mother was entangled in illegal dealings that set this nightmare in motion.

The Mastermind’s Motive

The plot traced back to Vi Van Toan, an ex-convict who claimed Duyen’s mother owed him a large sum from years earlier. When the debt remained unpaid, he and his accomplices devised a plan — kidnap Duyen and demand ransom.

But when the ransom never came, the plan turned into something far more sinister. Over the next three days, Duyen suffered unspeakable cruelty at the hands of multiple perpetrators before her life was taken.

Justice in the Courtroom

The trial, held in late 2019, gripped the entire country. Six of the main perpetrators received the death penalty. Others faced long prison terms.

Duyen’s mother was tried separately on drug trafficking charges linked to the events that indirectly led to her daughter’s fate. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

A Crime That Left Scars

The case of Cao My Duyen remains one of the most disturbing criminal stories in Vietnam’s recent history — not only for its cruelty but for the unbearable betrayal at its core.

It is a haunting reminder that sometimes the most dangerous threats come from where we least expect them… even from those we trust the most.