B.C. man sentenced for 'brutal' murder at Mission grow-op in 2020

Warning: This story has details readers may find disturbing. 

A B.C. man convicted of the "brutal" murder of one person and the assault and confinement of four others at a home he subsequently set ablaze has been sentenced to life in prison and will be eligible for parole in 12 years, according to a recent court decision.

Van Chau Nguyen pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Vien Bui as well as assault with a weapon in relation to the other victims and was sentenced in B.C. Supreme Court in February. The decision was posted online last week.

In August of 2020, the court heard, Nguyen entered a home on a property in Mission that was functioning as a cannabis grow operation. He was dressed in dark clothing and armed with a machete, a knife, bear spray and zip ties.

Justice Michel Tammen, quoting from an agreed-upon statement of facts, described what happened next.

"Once inside the residence, the accused attacked and killed Mr. Bui by cutting off his left hand and right foot with the machete. The accused also used weapons and zip ties to assault and confine the other victims. The accused threatened to stab the victims and forced them to remain inside a bathroom," the judge wrote.

"The accused intentionally set the main residence on fire using gasoline. He fled the scene and discarded evidence along the way, including the machete, knife, and bear spray. The fire quickly consumed the main residence. The victims confined inside the bathroom escaped the premises by jumping out a second-storey window."

The decision does not elaborate on the assaults of the other victims but does mention that one suffered injuries "from the machete" and a broken back from jumping out of the window to escape the fire.

Bui's remains were found inside the home after firefighters put out the blaze, police said at the time.

The decision does not mention a motive for Nguyen's crimes, but does say that he had worked and lived on the property until about a month before the murder.

The minimum period of parole eligibility for second-degree murder is 10 years and the maximum is 25, the judge noted. Aggravating factors in the case included the "brutal nature” of the killing, the arson, evidence of "planning and forethought" and the confinement of the victims, Tammen wrote.

Nguyen was 60 years old when he was charged in October of 2020 and he has been in custody since. According to the decision, Nguyen had no prior violent criminal record, is supported by his wife and adult children, and has expressed "genuine remorse." Those things, along with the guilty plea and Nguyen's medical issues, were considered mitigating factors.

"I believe it is unlikely that the accused will present a danger to the public at such time as the parole board deems him fit to be released into the community," the judge wrote.

Nguyen was also sentenced to three years in prison for the assault with a weapon charge, to be served concurrently with his mandatory life sentence for second-degree murder. The decision does not specify how much credit Nguyen received for time served but does say that the 12-year period of parole ineligibility began when he was arrested on Oct. 2, 2020.