'She graced our lives': College student stabbed 107 times trying to protect mother against abusive stepfather over possible divorce, police say

A college student allegedly was stabbed more than 100 times by her stepfather as she attempted to protect her mother, according to police.

Early in the morning of Aug. 7, Angelina Tran was allegedly woken to the sounds of her mother being abused by her stepfather at their home in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Seattle, Washington. Nghiep Kein Chau, 54, purportedly punched Tran's mother in the head "about 15 times" in the kitchen, according to charging documents.

Prosecutors say Tran attempted to protect her mother from any more domestic abuse by the stepfather. However, Chau allegedly grabbed a knife and stabbed Tran a total of 107 times.

The New York Post reported, "He stopped the stabbing spree several times during the rampage, the charging documents say, including once to change his clothes and another to grab a different knife." Chau allegedly switched to a meat cleaver in the middle of the rampage.

The mother allegedly escaped the carnage and called 911 to report the stabbing.

Officers with the Seattle Police Department responded to the attack shortly before 5 a.m. and found Tran bleeding from the stab wounds on her face.

Law & Crime reported, "After Nghiep was cuffed, cops found the 'stabbed and obviously deceased body' of Angelina Tran, 'lying on her back on the floor of the kitchen.'"

Police also reportedly found Chau wearing bloody clothes and holding a knife, then allegedly admitting: "I killed somebody."

According to police, Chau walked down a staircase holding a "large bloody fixed-blade kitchen style knife, which he dropped when ordered to do so by officers."

He reportedly told police that he had been "bickering" with his wife of 19 years.

Through a Vietnamese interpreter, Chau purportedly told police that he suspected his wife was going to divorce him and take his money.

According to the Seattle Times, "He also told the detective he became angry with Tran for intervening and blocking him from her mother, who he said he was trying to find and kill before police arrived, according to court documents."

Investigators obtained search warrants and reportedly seized evidence from the residence, including home security video. The security footage allegedly displayed the initial assault as well as the fatal stabbing of the 21-year-old University of Washington student.

Investigators said that Chau stabbed Tran "at least 107 times in the torso" based on the home video.

Chau was taken into custody by police. He was charged with first-degree murder and first-degree attempted murder. Chau is being held at the King County Correctional Facility on $5 million bond.

An arraignment is scheduled for Aug. 31.

A GoFundMe campaign was launched to direct funds in Tran's name to the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging.

"She graced our lives as an incredible daughter, a cherished friend, and above all, a perfect girlfriend," the crowdfunding campaign reads. "She excelled in her studies, with just one more year remaining at the University of Washington, Seattle. Her dedication and hard work were truly admirable. The pain of her absence is profound as she was a gem of a human being. The impact she had on all those fortunate enough to know her was significant."

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