John Jefferson
Inset: Hong T. Huynh (Gwinnett County Fire). Background: Homes allegedly attacked by Huynh in Georgia (WANF/YouTube).
A 61-year-old woman is accused of throwing an ignitable liquid at a man, killing him, and torching his home and a second residence with Molotov cocktails in early morning attacks in Georgia.
Hong T. Huynh faces a murder charge in the June death of Thuy Huynh, 58, and multiple counts of arson and assault. During a probable cause hearing on Wednesday, when a judge determined there was enough evidence to hold the defendant on charges, Gwinnett County fire investigator Jonathan Seibles told a judge a passerby saw a house on fire, got out of his vehicle and knocked on the door to alert the homeowner about the fire, Atlanta ABC affiliate WSB reported.
“He said a male and female came outside,” Seibles said, the outlet reported. “The husband started putting out the fire with a hose, and he was on the phone with 911. He said while he was doing that, someone came from the side of the house with a big silver pot in their hand and threw a liquid on the husband.”
The first attack happened at 5:45 a.m. on June 1 at Buckingham Court in Norcross, authorities said in a news release. Norcross is about 20 miles northeast of Atlanta.
A 911 caller said a neighbor’s garage was on fire, and a victim was on the scene, authorities said. Firefighters arrived at 5:51 a.m. As fire crews fought the flames, medical crews cared for an occupant of the home, later identified as Thuy Huynh, who was badly burned in the blaze and ultimately hospitalized. He died on June 25.
Atlanta CBS affiliate WANF quoted a witness who reported seeing the defendant throw either grease or gas at the man.
“I don’t know what was in there, whether it was grease or gasoline, but she was a good distance from the flame,” the witness said. “However, instead of throwing it onto the flames, she threw it onto the father of the family. When she threw that, there was a large combustion that caused him to catch on fire.”
The second fire was reported at 6:04 a.m. in the 1300 block of Turners Ridge Drive NW in Norcross. The caller informed the 911 call taker that her home was on fire and was spreading to a vehicle in the driveway, officials said. Firefighters arrived at the house a minute later and started dousing the flames, which were put out at 6:20 a.m. One person suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
Investigators quickly connected both fires and said they had been intentionally set. An affidavit for the Buckingham Court address and an affidavit for Turners Ridge said Molotov cocktails were used.
Hong Huynh was quickly identified and arrested on June 7.
Neither a motive nor the relationship between the suspect and victim has been released. But WSB reported that a brother of the defendant took out a restraining order against her in January after she was told to leave his home and that the two homes targeted belonged to relatives.
Hong Huynh is being held at the Gwinnett County Jail without bond. No date has been set for the next court hearing.
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