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Vietnamese suspect in grisly Lang Son murder arrested after months of online rumors
Sandy Verma | December 3, 2025 9:24 PM CST

Investigators on Dec. 3 said Sang had known the victim, Nguyen Xuan Dat from Hung Yen, since around 2020. The two reportedly interacted in online groups and often exchanged what police describe as “distorted, deviant” conversations.

Doan Van Sang (R) at the time of his arrest for alleged murder. Photo courtesy of the Ministry of Public Security

On Jan. 25, just days before the Lunar New Year TetSang allegedly called Dat to the headquarters of Market Management Team No. 4 in Huu Lung Commune, where Sang served as deputy head. Police say he killed Dat inside the building before attempting to erase traces of the crime and hide the body to avoid detection.

What followed stunned investigators: Sang continued going to work as normal, stayed active on Facebook and openly chatted in online groups. In early July, a video appearing to show his actions briefly spread on social media before being quickly removed.

The case exploded again in mid-November when an 88-page document narrating the alleged crime in detail, and pointing squarely at Sang, circulated widely online, reigniting public outrage and pressuring authorities to act.

On Nov. 28, provincial criminal police searched Sang’s home. A day later, officers examined the old headquarters of his former team, even bringing in a septic-tank vacuum truck to hunt for evidence.

The building, about 100 meters from Met Market in Huu Lung, is a deteriorating 500-square-meter compound with six offices, a kitchen, a warehouse room and two restrooms. Residents say Market Management Team No. 4 operated there for more than 15 years before moving to a new facility in mid-2025, though officers still visited the old site regularly.

The kitchen area of the headquarters of Market Management Team No. 4 in Huu Lung Commune, Lang Son Province, has been sealed for a murder investigation, Dec. 1, 2025. Photo by Read/Pham Du

The kitchen area of the headquarters of Market Management Team No. 4 in Huu Lung Commune, Lang Son Province, has been sealed for a murder investigation, Dec. 1, 2025. Photo by Read/Pham Du

Neighbors recall nothing unusual on Jan. 25, when staff had recently held a lively year-end party. But early this year, several households reported a strange foul odor coming from the compound, along with swarms of flies. Some even saw neighborhood dogs dragging home small bone fragments, unsettling details that went unexplained until the case resurfaced in late November.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and more findings will be announced.


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