Inset: Antony Ton Le being arrested in Washington state (KOMO). The building where Le is accused of killing his mother (KOMO).
A 30-year-old man in Washington state is accused of killing his own mother, allegedly choking and "curb stomping" her to death inside her condominium before burying her beneath a pile of blankets.
Antony Ton Le was taken into custody on Tuesday and charged with one count of criminal homicide in the slaying of Thuy Nu Thu Ton, records show.
Around 2 p.m. on Tuesday, deputies with the King County Sheriff's Office responded to a 911 call at a condominium complex in the 28700 block of 34th Avenue South in Auburn, according to a probable cause affidavit. The caller identified himself as the owner of the condo, telling the dispatcher that Ton, his roommate, was "on the ground wrapped in blankets."
He added that she was "possibly assaulted" by her son, Le, who he said was schizophrenic and bipolar. The owner later told authorities that Le had stopped taking his medication several months earlier, leading him to become "increasingly hostile" and "prone to violence."
Deputies and medical personnel responded to the address and attempted lifesaving measures, but the victim was pronounced dead at 2:09 p.m., the document states.
A tactical team established a perimeter around the area and breached the residence, locating Le in his bedroom. Authorities arrested Le and transported him to SeaTac City Hall.
The owner told investigators that when he left for work earlier that day, Ton was on the couch looking at her phone and Le, he assumed, was in his room. When he returned, he looked beneath the pile of blankets in the middle of the living room that "shouldn't have been there" and found the victim "lying on her back with her eyes open and her arms folded across her chest." He said Ton had suffered severe and obvious facial injuries.
During his interrogation, Le allegedly told detectives that he and his mother "got into an argument about school and finances" before he admitted that he "ultimately killed his mother." He also mentioned recently "experiencing rage and anger" toward his mother before providing harrowing details about the alleged attack.
"He grabbed Thuy in a 'choke hold' and threw her to the ground. [Le] began 'curb stomping' his mother's neck," the affidavit states. "[Le] noted how angry he was and that he likely killed her on the 'third stomp' and 'over-killed her' and stomped her four or five more times. After the assault, [Le] tried to 'help' Thuy by putting pillows and blankets on top of her. [Le] stated that he heard Thuy 'gurgling' for about 30 minutes before she died. [Le] then gave her a hug."
The defendant decided not to call 911 because he knew the condo owner would be home soon and assumed he would alert authorities.
Le is currently being held in the King County Jail on $2 million bond and is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday.