Santa Ana : Preliminary Hearing Ordered in Murder Case

A preliminary hearing was ordered Thursday for one of five people accused of murder in the shooting of a mother of 14.

Commissioner Joan T. Reilly in Central Municipal Court agreed with prosecutors that Tien Van Nguyen was 19 when the shooting occurred--old enough to be tried as an adult. His attorneys had argued that Tien Van Nguyen may be as young as 13.

On May 5, five Vietnamese males entered the home of Trung Ngo and his wife Huyen Thi Hoang, who lived in Santa Ana with their 14 children.

The mother was killed while she prayed at her bedside, away from the others who had been crowded into the living room during the robbery.

Four of the five accused are in custody and, police say, have already made taped confessions about their involvement. Two Anaheim boys, ages 12 and 13, have been convicted and sent to the California Youth Authority, where they will remain at least six years. The preliminary hearing that was ordered Thursday for the third defendant, Tien Van Nguyen of Garden Grove, will begin Monday in Central Municipal Court.

The fourth defendant, Dung Anh Nguyen, 17, of Garden Grove, will have a hearing in Juvenile Court next Wednesday to determine whether he should be tried as an adult.

The fifth defendant, Sau Van Le, 14, of Garden Grove, who police believe actually shot the woman remains at large.