Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymond Chen Murders: Where Is Edward Chen Now? Although the police were reluctant to believe Vickie initially, she stuck to her story and even claimed to have more witnesses. Fairfax Man Admits Killing Parents, Brother - The Washington Post Police: McLean Man Shot, Killed Wife, Son Before Killing Self The bodies of Wu Hong Chen, 53; Shieh Yeh-Mei Chen, 52, and Raymond Chen, 26, have never been found. Police said the Fostins have fully cooperated with an investigation that revealed enough forensic evidence to charge Edward Chen on three counts of murder. The triple murder case at a home in Great Falls involved the Chen family. In the spring of 2002, the Fairfax County police department received a phone call from Vickie Henry, who claimed that Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymond had been murdered in August 1995. Nonetheless, it was impossible to mount a case without bodies, and despite Edwards former friend, Michael Reese, claiming he helped the former dump the bodies in the Chesapeake Bay, the police were unable to locate them. Ed said he had to use his brothers name to take care of his familys business accounts. [1] Chief Lawlor said, nonetheless, that there had been no evidence her department knew of that anything illegal was going on at the Chens' house or another one next door that had also been occupied by Chinese immigrants. Its season 4 episode 6, titled Ghost of Great Falls.. The police believed that Ed Chen had killed his family, but they needed proof. DC Area: Edward Chen Gets 36 Years in Deaths of Parents, Brother The house is situated among homes that in today's rising market are valued between $800,000 and $1,000,000. HARRIS COUNTY, Texas A man accused in a 2014 quadruple murder in the Cypress area was arrested Sunday, according to Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez. Earl Conrad Bramblett (March 20, 1942 - April 9, 2003) was an American mass murderer, convicted for the killing of four members of the Hodges family in August 1994 in Vinton, Virginia.Bramblett murdered each family member in their residence before setting it on fire, and in 1997 was sentenced to death for the murders.. Bramblett was executed by electric chair on April 9, 2003. The Chens were a very traditional family, but they came to the U.S. so that the boys could go to school. Vickie and Ed had met when she was an exotic dancer. Chen then locked up the house and avoided suspicion by making sure that the lawn and exterior were maintained. I am going to my death having had a great life because of my two great sons, Mike and Doug. Fairfax County tax records indicate that while the family home changed hands in 2000 for $310,000, it is valued at $702,780 for tax purposes today. He revealed the crime to Kolbe, but she said she didn't report it because she both loved and feared Chen. On October 8, 2014, 39-year-old Jin Feng Chen failed to report for work at a Chinese restaurant near his Guilderland, New Yorkhome. However, Vickie was the one to end the relationship. Investigators were able to collect DNA samples that might belong to a suspect, but had not been able to determine who might have left it. The Unsolved Chen Family Murders of Upstate New York Remain Shrouded in Mystery, https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/chen-family-murder. Their bodies were discovered by a coworker of Chens, who went to the home after Chen reportedly failed to show up for work at a nearby Chinese restaurant. Sources involved in the investigation say Chen allegedly handled large amounts of off-the-books cash that came from an underground economy of undocumented Chinese restaurant workers running from New York City to upstate New York and beyond, the Times Union reported. The Wine Times Mysteries: The Chen Family Murders (Part 1) on Apple People still talk about it., As for whether he believes the Chens will ever get justice, Gosh, he says, after pausing a beat. Keep supporting great journalism by turning off your ad blocker. The Chen Family Murders of Upstate New York Remain Shrouded in Mystery The boysdescribed as kind, gentle and joyfulloved gardening, and Garden Club was the last activity they participated in at school, The Altamont Enterprise reported. They didnt have bodies or evidence, besides the word of two of Eds exes. [10] Later it was reported that police had found 18 mattresses on the floor in the basement of the Chen house, further suggesting that the family had been involved in trafficking undocumented workers. Investigation Discoverys Forbidden: Dying For Love: Family Matters chronicles the strange incident and shows how the police built a case against the perpetrator even without the bodies. As many of the people they sought to interview were Chinese and did not speak fluent English, detectives had to determine which dialect the witnesses used and find appropriate interpreters. Although the police had no idea that the family was missing, she claimed that the triple murder occurred in August 1995. The statue of limitations had expired. Muller said the tragedy affected the entire community. 6624 Sky Blue Court, Alexandria, VA 22315 - Samuel Appiah-Kusi murdered his wife, Monica O. Telfer, then committed suicide here. Chen was arraigned. He was sixty-one years old at the time of his death, choosing the electric chair over lethal injection as a form of protest. 60 is still pretty young, and who knows, he could hurt someone else again. Police are asking anyone with information to call Detective Spooner at (703) 246-7800, or contact Crime Solvers by visiting http://www.fairfaxcrimesolvers.org or text-a-tip by texting TIP187 plus your message to CRIMES(274637). In addition, two women testified that, in the 1970s, Bramblett had given them alcohol and molested them when they were eleven and fourteen years old.[1]. Authorities said they believe the attacker or attackers used a knife and hammer to kill the family. ", In addition to local authorities, The Daily Gazette reports that the FBI, Homeland Security, and state police have assisted in the investigation into the Chen family murders. I hope that by not going to trial, I saved everyone more pain and suffering. [2] No suspects have been identified and as of January 2020[update], the investigation is continuing. They did just that. "This is a truly rare situation," said Horan. I hope so.. Category:Family murders - Wikipedia Raymond Chen began working in real estate, including overseeing five Fairfax properties his parents bought, and Edward Chen enrolled at the University of Virginia. In the weeks following the murder, local Pastor Charlie Muller's church donated $5,000 for a reward. I dont believe hes sorry about what he did. But Fairfax Commonwealth's Attorney Robert F. Horan still had three key witnesses: Chen's ex-wife, Mandy Chen, who had seen the bodies; Chen's friend Michael Reese, who helped him dispose of the bodies; and Henry, whom Chen had told about the killings and who made a tape-recorded phone call to Chen for the police shortly before Chen's arrest. He and a friend dumped the bodies in the Chesapeake Bay, and Chen sold the house, keeping the crime not just unsolved but unknown. SINCE 1995, when his family disappeared, Chen has told people in the family's native country, Taiwan, that his family died in a car wreck in the United States. Edward lived off rental incomes for a while, but with expensive tastes and mounting bills decided to start selling the family properties. Greenspun said that Chen will serve about 30 years. A witness had seen a vehicle similar to Bramblett's driving past the Hodges home during the fire, without stopping. Although the police had no idea that the family was missing, she claimed that the triple murder occurred in August 1995. [5], Funeral services were held in Chinatown a month after the killings, to allow relatives from China to obtain visas and flights in order to attend. She said both of the brothers "were sweet." It seems that Mandy was Eds motive for killing his family, and kept up appearances like paying the bills and doing yard work. Security Guard Who Killed Asian Grandpa Playing Pokmon Go Charged With The police decided to go the Chen house, but at this point it was owned by another couple. The Chen Family Murders It's Crime O Clock Somewhere Young Performing Artists In McLean Awarded Scholarships By The Alden, McLean Home Listed For $3.2M Offers Luxurious Living Indoors, Outdoors, Special Grand Jury To Investigate Fatal Police Shooting At Tysons Mall, Antique Brass and Silver Restoration Services: MONDAYS 10-4, Celebrate Pilates Day: FREE Pilates Reformer classes & Happy Hour, SONOVA presents: Beethoven, Brews, and BBQ, Montgomery County Virtual 50+ Employment Expo Tuesday, May 16th, Summer Travel Season Could Be Busiest Ever In VA, AAA Says, VA Weather: Hazardous Weather Outlook Issued, Soggy Week Ahead, McLean Area Prospective Homeowners: See 5 New Homes On The Market, Math Whizzes, Finest Principal, White House Preserver: NoVA Good News, Morel Mushrooms Popping Up In VA: When To Find Springtime Delicacy. Eventually, the police discovered blood splatters belonging to Wu-Hung at the Chen family home, but the bodies were never recovered. The brothers lived in a house in Herndon, and each graduated from Herndon High School. Edward Chen, the Chens' younger son and Raymond's younger brother, is now charged with three counts of murder. All rights reserved. On Saturday, police identified those killed as Shirley Zhou, 48, James Wenjie Chen, 16, and Hong Chen, 52. Soares said, "The reasons why you would take the life of children? That night, he admitted to investigators that he had purchased a .30-30 Winchester rifle, went into his family members' bedrooms in the middle of the night and shot them. 'Ghosts of Great Falls:' Chen Family Murders in '95 Featured on The week of the killing, a lengthy article in The New Yorker had documented this network, predominantly composed of Fujianese, for whom even the low pay and long hours at restaurants in the U.S. are preferable to the paucity of economic opportunities at home;[5] the author's primary source mentioned having taken a day bus from Chinatown to Albany to work at a restaurant there at one point. The Chens were reasonably well-off and managed to send their children to prestigious schools in Fairfax, along with owning five properties in the US. The triple murder case at a home in Great Falls involved the Chen family. Vickie started becoming suspicious when she would get phone calls about a Raymond Chen, Eds brother. Chen and his wife were from the province of Fujian, on the southeastern coast of China, and came to the United States in the early 2000s. [3], In 2018, Robert Patnaude, commander of state police Troop G, which covers the Albany area, reiterated earlier pleas for help from the public, noting that sometimes even apparently trivial and innocuous information has solved cases. Chen family killings - Wikipedia Edward Chen returned with his family to Great Falls and killed them so that he could continue dating Kolbe, Horan said. Their . [1] Further investigation determined that the barrel of the murder weapon had been removed after Blaine had been killed, and that Blaine had been killed before the rest of his family. Detectives also looked into local crime syndicates and reports of human trafficking. July 17, 2022 In a strange and surprising development, one Vickie Henry called the Fairfax County police department and claimed that she had information about the murders of Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymond Chen. Michael said he would cut them up and throw them in the ocean. He recalled the boys playing in the backyard while their mother gardened and kept watch. Not just that, he later sold the house in 1999, when a pipe burst caused flooding. As reported by A&E, one of Chen's coworkers went to his home to find out why he did not show up for work. The Chens were very successful business people, they lived in a nice mansion in a very wealthy neighborhood. Copyright 2023 NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Those barriers are additionally complicated by many of the potential witnesses not only speaking primarily Chinese but, as immigrants from Fujian, "Chinatown community eyed as cops work to solve quadruple slaying upstate", "2 Children Among 4 Found Dead in Home in Upstate New York", "Police, prosecutors stumped over who killed Guilderland family", "Two quadruple killings, two different tales", "Human trafficking, undocumented workers part of Guilderland homicide investigation", "Case of Chinese couple and their two young sons bludgeoned to death in US remains a mystery after a year", "A year after Chinese family murdered, no suspects here or elsewhere", "Mississippi Gulf Coast triple murder getting another look by FBI", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chen_family_killings&oldid=1145067795, This page was last edited on 17 March 2023, at 03:17. The coworker was greeted by the gruesome scene of four brutal murders that remain unsolved to this day. They specifically believe the Chen family was killed between 3:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. As reported by A&E, authorities noted the bodies of Hai Yan Li, Anthony, and Eddy were covered in blankets. The combined plea and sentencing hearing brought an abrupt end to a case that unfolded just as suddenly nine months ago, when Chen's ex-girlfriend called Fairfax County police and revealed Chen's secret. He left a $25,000/year job in February, Horan said, because he didnt want to do it any more. Interestingly, when Vickie called the police, she claimed that her ex, Edward Chen, was responsible for murdering the rest of his family. The Chen family, Wu-Hung, 53, Yei-Mei, 52, Raymond, 25, and Edward, moved from Taiwan to Fairfax, Virginia. Joseph Paul Franklin, a white supremacist and serial killer, confessed to the murders. Catherine Kitty Pappas Murder: Is George Joseph Cvek Dead or Alive. The circumstances of the Chen family's death had prosecutors and investigators shaking their heads in amazement during a Good Friday press conference where the deaths, and arrests, were announced. It is rumored that Jin Feng Che was heavily involved in the underground network and personally handled many of the transactions, often keeping large amounts of money in his home. Vickie said she had information about her exs dead family that were killed in August of 1995. A World Journal reporter in attendance later told the Albany Times-Union that she and her colleagues believed the family knew more about what might have led to the killings than they were ready to say publicly. Wu-Hung, Weh-Mei, and Raymond Chen Murder Case: Where Is Edward Chen A McLean man killed his wife and son Friday before shooting himself, police in Fairfax County said Saturday. If you missed the program, you can watch it online. Still, law enforcement officials could not find any evidence of complaints or criminal records related to the Chen family, and their neighbors did not report seeing any conflicts between family members. We're taking a break from Beyond Belief for a few weeks (but staying in the 90s) to cover a true crime case that is local to MM's neck of the woods and we have a coincidental connection to: the Chen Family murders in Great Falls, Virginia in August 1995. [5], Police were slow to release information, and much of what was reported in the early days of the case came from relatives of the Chens who talked to the Chinese media at a news conference in New York City's Chinatown. ", Fostin said the family moved in two years ago. Postal Service employee, was about to serve six months in federal prison for embezzlement. [5], Around midday on October 8, 2014, a coworker of Chen's at the King's Wok restaurant where he worked became concerned when he had not reported for work or called to say he would be absent or late. However, there was little other evidence suggesting who killed the family or why. Death Houses in Fairfax County - Fractured Fairfax More evidence was about to come, when a man named Michael Reese came forward and said he helped Ed dismember and dump the bodies, that had already been in the home for four years at this point. For Love or Money | Landsakes Investigators have considered links to Chinese American organized crime; there is evidence the Chens may have been involved in illegal gambling and/or the human trafficking of undocumented immigrants from China. The investigation was also made difficult by the reluctance of possible witnesses to come forward, as many were undocumented immigrants. Local resident Jacob Beard was convicted of the murder in 1993, but he was later acquitted of all charges in a second trial in 2000. When he told the same story in the United States, he changed the location of the car wreck to Taiwan, Horan said. It also said that an unnamed source had told the paper that Chen had shut down his restaurant two years earlier and his wife was in the U.S. illegally. [3], Further inspection of the Hodges house revealed purposefully-disconnected telephone lines and the presence of a petroleum-based accelerant in several areas. However, in the years before he was killed, the business was not very profitable, and some sources questioned how he maintained his lifestyle with the reduced income. [5], A week after the killings, the Times-Union reported that there was some evidence to support those claims as the New York City Police Department (NYPD) began assisting by investigating possible leads in its jurisdiction. Jin Feng Chen and Hai Yan Li were natives of China's Fujian province. Mandy was confused, until Ed said they were dead and he could prove it to her. Ugh, its so disgusting. Bicoastal besties MM and Katy talk wine and (unsolved) mysteries each week. A DNA test on a pubic hair found in the bedroom where the girls were found was matched to Bramblett. They dismembered the bodies, poured concrete on them, put them in duffel bags and took them out to the Chesapeake Bay and dumped them. After a clemency petition to Governor of Virginia Mark Warner was rejected, along with an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, Earl Bramblett was executed in the electric chair for the murder of the Hodges family at Greensville Correctional Center, Jarratt, Virginia, on April 9, 2003.