http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,,26426002-2682,00.html
Family break-up sparked murderous frenzy at Angle Park
JORDANNA SCHRIEVER, COURT REPORTER
December 01, 2009 02:45pm
MINH Ly Tran stabbed his ex-wife and her toddler to death in a "homicidal frenzy" after his son said he didn't want to live with him, a court has heard.
Tran, 49, of Woodville North stabbed to death Han Nguyen and her two-year-old son, Domenic, at their Angle Park home in March this year.
His son, Andy, 10, witnessed the murders, while his daughter was in the house at the time.
Greg Mead, for Tran, said his client was devastated by his relationship break-up and the resulting loss of property, money and contact with his two children.
"The end result was a shattered man obsessed by his losses ... it seemed to knock the stuffing out of him," Mr Mead said.
"His life had come to ruin, his marriage had broken down, his children were lost to him."
He said Tran snapped when Andy said he did not want to live with him.
"The fact that his children did not want to come back to him seems to have brought his anger about the whole situation to the surface."
He said it sparked his "homicidal frenzy", causing him to "lash out at his former wife and while the young child was there, striking him as well, in that frenzy".
He said his client had not planned the killing and does not remember exactly what happened.
He drove home, where he called 000 and asked to be taken to jail because in his mind "someone killed me and I killed them already".
Domenic's father, Xuan Anh Vu, said he was on the way to visit his partner and son when they were being murdered.
"I come from Vietnam where pigs are killed with one stab, the killing of Han and Domenic brings to my mind this bloody murder," Mr Vu said.
"Knowing what happened to Domenic and Han makes me believe that it is only when you really want to kill somebody that you would stab them many times."
He said he had planned to spend his future with Han.
Caroline Mealor, prosecuting, said Tran had gone to the house carrying a blade and intending to harm Ms Nguyen.
She said Andy had described his mum screaming, Tran taking her outside and putting her on the ground before taking the blade from his bag.
He then drove home, calling emergency services just five minutes after his son reported the stabbing.
Tran faces a mandatory life sentence, with Chief Justice John Doyle to impose a non-parole period later this month.