A 30-year-old man from Washington state stands accused of brutally attacking his mother, reportedly stomping on her and then listening to her struggle for life for approximately 30 minutes before she succumbed to her injuries.
Authorities have charged Antony Ton Le with criminal homicide following the death of his 61-year-old mother, Thuy Nu Thu Ton. This incident was reported by KOMO News.
The tragic event unfolded when the King County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. The call came from a condominium in Auburn, where the homeowner reported finding a woman who appeared to have been assaulted and was unresponsive.
Upon arrival, deputies found Ton with severe facial injuries, including swollen eyes and bleeding from her nose. Despite efforts from first responders to revive her, she passed away at the scene.
The condo owner, who rents a room to Le and has known him for several years, informed investigators that Ton often stayed at the condo to care for her son. Le has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and his violent tendencies reportedly surface when he neglects his medication—something he had done about five months prior, leading to increased hostility toward both the condo owner and his mother.
The owner recounted leaving for work at about 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday and returning just after 1 p.m., at which point he noticed a pile of blankets on the floor. It was then he discovered Ton’s lifeless body underneath. Without a cell phone, he went to a neighbor’s residence to place the emergency call to 911.
Deputies arrived at the home and attempted to contact Le, but he did not respond. A tactical team later entered the condo and found him in a bedroom. He was taken in for questioning and reportedly told detectives that he killed his mother after an argument about school and financies.
He said he grabbed her in a chokehold and threw her to the floor, “curb stomping” her on the neck multiple times. Then, he said, he wrapped her in blankets and pillows to “heal” her, listening to the sounds she made for a about 30 minutes before she died.
Then, he said, he washed his clothes and went to bed. He said he didn’t call 911 because he expected his roommate to be home soon.
Le is being held on a $2 million bond, KING said.
