In a shocking and deeply disturbing crime, a man in Vietnam desecrated his late uncle’s grave, stealing his bones in an attempt to extort money from his family. The man, identified as Luu Thanh Nam from Thanh Hoa province, was trying to pay off a significant gambling debt when he resorted to this desperate act.
Grave robbery for ransom
On September 9, Nam dug a 20-centimeter hole in his uncle’s grave, removed some bones, and placed them in a pile of trash nearby. The uncle, the father of Nam’s cousin Luu Thanh Hoi, had been buried four years ago. The very next day, Nam sent a threatening message to Hoi’s wife, using an anonymous phone number, demanding 5 billion Vietnamese dong (approximately $203,000) in exchange for the bones. The message warned her not to involve the police.
Terrified, the couple immediately inspected the grave and found a hole in the coffin. They reported the crime to local law enforcement, leading to an official investigation.
Arrest and confession
On September 12, police arrested Nam, who soon confessed to desecrating the grave and stealing the bones. He admitted his actions were driven by the need to pay off his gambling debts. Vietnamese authorities have since returned the stolen bones to Hoi, who reburied them according to local customs to maintain peace with the deceased.
Nam now faces charges of both grave desecration and extortion. Under Vietnamese law, desecration of a grave is considered a serious offense, deeply disrespectful to cultural traditions, and can result in up to seven years in prison. Extortion, especially for such a large sum, carries a possible sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
A cultural and legal violation
In Vietnamese tradition, disturbing the dead is considered a grievous offense, as it is believed to not only upset the spirit of the deceased but also bring misfortune to the living. The community has expressed outrage over the incident, given the cultural significance of respecting the dead.
This disturbing case is not without precedent. In a similar incident in China, a man was arrested after digging up a villager’s grave and stealing the ashes to extort money from the deceased’s family. Such crimes, though rare, demonstrate the lengths some will go to settle personal debts, even if it means desecrating the sanctity of death.
Nam’s sentencing is yet to be announced, but his actions have sent shockwaves through the local community, highlighting the dangers of extreme debt and the devastating consequences it can have on families and traditions.