Costa Mesa police arrest ‘America’s Most Wanted’ suspect

Jennifer Kho

COSTA MESA -- A man suspected of at least six murders throughout the

state was arrested Monday evening.

Anh The Duong, 26, of Costa Mesa was playing basketball at the 24 Hour

Fitness on Anton Boulevard when the Costa Mesa police SWAT team ordered

everyone to the floor.

Duong dropped to the floor, along with everyone else, and was arrested

without incident, Costa Mesa Police Lt. Dale Birney said.

“He’s got a propensity for violence and a propensity to use violent

weapons, so when we became aware of the fact that he was in the Orange

County area, that caused us a great deal of concern for the safety of the

people of Orange County,” he said. “It was a high priority to get him

into custody before something similar to these incidents happened here.”

Costa Mesa residents Edward Lwanga Mukasa, 33, and Christine Kaimen

Chen, 19, were arrested on suspicion of harboring a fugitive and of being

accessories to murder after the fact, Birney said.

Duong, who appeared on America’s Most Wanted in April 2000, is accused

of shooting four people to death at The International Club in El Monte on

May 6, 1999.

In San Jose, Duong is wanted on suspicion of murder, attempted murder

and robbery.

San Jose police were called to a Vietnamese grocery store at 11:22

a.m. May 3, 1997, in response to a shooting, said San Jose Police Sgt.

Steve Dixon.

The owner of the store, Thien Tang, 54, went to the bank to get money

and then returned to his market at 455 Keyes St., Dixon said.

“As he drove up the driveway, two males came up to him and demanded

money,” he said. “Before he could even react, they took him out of his

car, shot him in the leg and took the money bag. They were walking across

the street to where their car was parked, and the victim’s father-in-law

saw them and began chasing them. We believe it was Duong who fired

several shots at him, one in the chest, and he died. He is extremely

violent, no question about it.”

Tang survived, but Tang’s father-in-law, Chau Quach, 66, died of the

gunshot wound. Duong was charged with murder, attempted murder and

robbery for that incident.

Dixon said Duong was also accused of a 1998 robbery homicide involving

a computer store in Fremont, and Andrew Black, media representative for

the San Francisco division of the FBI, said the bureau charged Duong with

unlawful flight to avoid prosecution for that murder.

Birney said Costa Mesa police worked with the FBI, as well as the

Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Newport Beach police

departments, for four to six weeks to arrest Duong.

The three different jurisdictions with warrants for Duong’s arrest --

San Jose police, the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department and the San

Francisco division of the FBI -- are now trying to decide where Duong is

going to face the charges, he said.

“We assisted in capturing their fugitive, and it’s up to them to

figure out what to do now,” Birney said.

Mayor Libby Cowan said she is proud of Costa Mesa police for their

work in arresting Duong.

“The police force is very active and diligent and works well with

other agencies,” she said. “I’m pleased that our police force was able to

be involved.”