Dak Lak suspect Phan Bá Ngọc charged with murder of 12‑year‑old girl

Police in Dak Lak province, Vietnam, have charged 20‑year‑old Phan Bá Ngọc of Pơng Drang with murder and robbery after he allegedly killed a 12‑year‑old girl, identified as “H”, and disposed of her body in a well on his family’s coffee farm.

Investigators say Ngọc sought rides from adults to find a victim, then targeted schoolchildren. He reportedly offered to ride H’s electric scooter, took her to the farm, killed her, and threw her body into the well. The motive was financial; Ngọc needed money to redeem a pawned scooter, eventually obtaining 8 million VND, using 5 million VND for the redemption and spending the remainder.

The case was reported on 20 June, and on 4 July the Provincial Criminal Police Office ordered Ngọc’s indictment and a four‑month preventive detention. The investigation continues.