Local News in Brief : Santa Ana : Couple Plead Innocent to Killing Businessman

A Vietnamese couple pleaded innocent Friday to murder in the strangulation death of a Villa Park businessman whose body was found floating in the ocean near Naples Island in Long Beach.

Hoan Ngoc Lai, 47 and Xuan Kim Lai, 37, were arraigned in Orange County Municipal Court on one count of murder in the slaying Quynh Duy Nguyen. The Lais, of Westminster, are being held in Orange County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bail each. A bail hearing is set for Tuesday and a preliminary hearing for Dec. 17.

The Lais’ 17-year-old son, whom police would not identify, and Xuan Lai’s brother, Peter Hguyen, were also arrested in the case but released Friday for lack of evidence.

Nguyen’s body was pulled out of the Long Beach waterway Monday night after a gondolier spotted it. He was last seen at a Santa Ana motel Monday night. Shortly after he entered one of the rooms, witnesses said, several people, some wearing ski masks, went in and later left carrying the victim.

Police said Nguyen was killed in revenge for having had an affair with Xuan Lai.