The woman who shot her two sons as they slept in their beds May 2, 2022 and attempted to murder a third man was sentenced to life in prison without parole Dec. 20.
Trinh Nguyen, 40, appeared in Bucks County court where she pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree murder of her children — Jeffrey Tini, 13, and his brother, Nelson Tini, 9 — as well as attempted murder of her ex-husband’s nephew, Gianni Melchiondo. All the crimes took place at Nguyen’s rented Timber Ridge Road home in Upper Makefield Township.
“This has been a long time coming for the family,” said Bucks County’s First Assistant District Attorney, Jennifer Schorn, during a press conference following the hearing. “She admitted her guilt.”
The negotiated plea, said Schorn, “will ensure that the defendant will die within the four walls of a correctional facility,” said the assistant DA, noting “great consideration” was given to the families’ wishes regarding the plea.
She credited Melchiondo, who disarmed Nguyen after she fired at him twice without the gun discharging.
“He’s a remarkable young man,” said Schorn.
Prior to the sentencing, Schorn presented a slideshow with photos of the two boys smiling together, often with their baseball teammates.
While there had been speculation that Nguyen, who was involuntarily committed to Norristown State Hospital following her arrest, might seek a mental health defense, that did not happen.
“There was no mental health claim,” said Schorn. “She wrote a manifesto (displaying) her hate for others…her simmering rage.”
“It’s clear our evidence showed that this defendant had that wickedness of disposition that she made these plans. She wrote a manifesto laying out what she was going to do, and you could see throughout the hate she had for others and the people she blamed,” said Schorn.
Authorities found a handwritten will dated April 25, 2022 telling the recipient what to do with her and her sons’ remains. It was signed by Nguyen.
Nguyen fled the scene and law enforcement found her inside her minivan parked at the United Methodist Church in Washington Crossing later that May morning. There she was taken into custody.
Inside the vehicle, authorities found .38-caliber ammunition, several empty packets suspected to be heroin, other full packages of heroin and swabs of suspected blood, among other evidence. A note on the dashboard read: “Please call 911! My children are DEAD in their bed at 119 Timber Ridge Road 18940.”
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