Oberlin professor's child held on $3M bond after slaying of professor, wife

An Oberlin College professor and his wife were found shot in their home Wednesday, and their 31-year-old child is being held on a $3 million bond. Asia Nguyen-Duy, of Ashland, Oregon, was arraigned Thursday on charges of murder, felonious assault, and tampering with evidence.

Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, a studio art and photography professor, was found on the first floor of the residence. His wife, Tran Thi Nam Phong, 56, was found on the second floor. The home is located a few blocks from the college campus in Columbus, Ohio, according to police.

Police located identification in a car that was set on fire near the college's conservatory of music, which led investigators to the house. The suspect, who has a face tattoo, was initially carried into the municipal courtroom before being wheeled in on a chair. They use gender-neutral pronouns and no longer go by the name Daniel Jones, which appeared on the vehicle identification.

Oberlin City Prosecutor Zachary Simonoff told Judge Farah Emeka that the accused offered a confession and led police to the address. Simonoff also noted that the defendant's mother contacted police to say her child was currently psychotic and needed medication. A message was left with the suspect's attorney.

The case has been bound over to Lorain County Common Pleas Court, where a grand jury will review it next. The suspect is currently held in the Lorain County Jail. No motive has been released by authorities.

Students at the private liberal arts college had just returned from fall break when the deaths occurred. Studio art classes were paused or modified following the professor's death. An exhibit of his photography is on display at the campus art museum, and a memorial tribute is being planned for Nguyen-Duy, who joined Oberlin in 1998.

Oberlin President Carmen Twillie Ambar wrote in an open letter that the community faces a deeply challenging moment. She stated she is overwhelmed with sadness and concerned about the impact of the loss. The Guggenheim Foundation, which named Nguyen-Duy a 2011 photography fellow, mourned the artist who immigrated from Vietnam in 1975.

Nguyen-Duy held a bachelor's degree in economics from Carleton College and master's degrees from the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque. The foundation noted his work explored themes of immigration, intimacy, and the cost of war.