1 Held in Death, 3 in Robberies of Other Asians

An 18-year-old Hoover High School student who is believed to be part of a loosely knit Asian group of bandits is being held on suspicion of murder in the Feb. 2 death of a North Park man during a robbery at his home, San Diego police said Monday.

Detectives said they have also arrested three other people suspected of being part of the Indochinese group they claim is responsible for at least four vicious residential robberies. More arrests may follow, they said.

“We believe the cases are linked,” Detective Bob Lopez said. “There may be more suspects out there. My detectives are questioning suspects right now.”

Shot Several Times

Meanwhile, Tho Van Tran is being held in County Jail without bail on suspicion of killing Huy Tinh Le, 42, who was shot several times during the robbery at his home in the 4100 block of Polk Avenue.

Tran also is suspected in a series of brutal home robberies of Asian families in Southeast San Diego and Linda Vista, police said. The four robberies were committed over a three-month period beginning in December. In each instance, the robbers threatened the occupants and ransacked their homes in search of money and jewelry.

The three other suspects, who are being held in County Jail, are Tuan Van Tran, 18, of the 4500 block of Orange Avenue, held on suspicion of three counts of robbery; Nghia Himh, 30, of the 3800 block of 43rd Street, and Hung Van Nguyen, 22, also of the 3800 block of 43rd Street, both held on suspicion of robbery and possession of illegal weapons.

Nguyen, who is free on parole from the California Youth Authority after being convicted of robbery, was being held in lieu of $40,000 bail. Himh’s bail was $35,000 and Tuan Van Tran’s was $30,000.

The three could face additional charges of murder and robbery, police said, adding that witnesses to Le’s slaying will view the suspects in a lineup.

All four suspects are believed to part of a loosely organized group, but are not connected to any known Indochinese gang, Detective Lopez said.

‘Not a Street Gang’

“They are not a street gang,” he said. “It appears to be a group of individuals who band together to commit crime.”

Tho Van Tran was arrested Saturday night by homicide and gang-detail detectives when he arrived home while officers were searching his apartment in the 4100 block of Menlo Avenue, Lopez said. Detectives had secured a search warrant based on information from witnesses to the slaying.

Police arrested the other three men earlier that day after serving a search warrant at an apartment in the 3800 block of 43rd Street. During that search, detectives said, they found a .32-caliber handgun, a sawed-off .22-caliber carbine rifle, a stock .22-caliber rifle, a .44-caliber rifle, knives, a machete and a disarmed hand grenade.

The four men are believed to have participated in all or part of the four residential robberies: on Dec. 16 in the 6800 block of Osler Street, Jan. 18 in the 4200 block of Thorn Street, Jan. 26 in the 2600 block of Gerald Court and the Feb. 2 robbery and killing.

During the Jan. 18 robbery, a Laotian woman was approached by three Vietnamese men, who forced her at gunpoint to join her family inside the home, which was then ransacked.

In the Jan. 26 robbery, police answered a call and found a Vietnamese couple who said they had been robbed by four Vietnamese gunmen who tied them up and blindfolded them. The thieves demanded gold and ransacked their house, destroying furniture and taking $400 to $500 in cash.