‘He has no remorse,’ victim’s sister says of Fresno man sentenced for stabbing wife 101 times
The Fresno man convicted of fatally stabbing his wife 101 times in a violent rage in 2016 was sentenced Wednesday to 26-years-to-life in prison.
Chinnawat Vue, 31, sat stoically as Judge Jonathan Conklin handed down his punishment. Vue was found guilty of killing his estranged wife, 22-year-old Xia Vang, on Jan. 10.
The judge refused to strike the weapon enhancement for using a knife, calling it the “tool of death in this case.”
“Mr. Vue your actions have consequences and in this case your actions led to the death of your wife and the mother of your children,” Conklin said.
During his trial, Vue never denied killing his wife while the couple lived inside their northeast Fresno home on March 8, 2016. In interviews with police and in court Vue said that he killed his wife because if he couldn’t have her, nobody would.
Vue’s attorney Philip Billington argued that Vue was driven to kill his wife because she was having an alleged affair with an older, married man.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Elana Smith portrayed Vue as a manipulative man who drank too much and was violent with his wife.
Vang’s sister, Mai Kao Vang, spoke during Wednesday’s sentencing hearing. She described Vue as a narcissist, an abuser and a monster.
“He has no remorse for what he did to her and the kids,” Vang said.
She recalled the time she was at her sister’s house and found her in the kitchen wearing sunglasses.
“I was confused about why she was wearing the sunglasses and then I could see her black eye on the side of her face,” Vang said. “She told me she fell and hit the door. She was always protecting him.”
Vang said her sister was working on trying to get away from Vue, including going to school and working part-time.
“She wanted a better future, she wanted to escape,” Vang said.
Another sister, Daisy Vang, submitted a statement to the judge condemning Vue.
“I hope you will spend every second and minute of your life reflecting on what you did to my sister and the mother of your children,” Vang wrote. “You know you caused so much damage to my family and your children’s mental health. The pain you have caused us is something that will echo for the rest of our lives. I hope you will never find peace and continue to feel guilty for the rest of your life.”
Vue’s three minor children spoke at a previous hearing on March 21.
Vue’s oldest son, now 13, told the judge he’s been depressed and sad since the death of his mother. And he still has questions.
“I always wondered why my dad killed my mother,” he said in March. “I have been upset about that.”
Vue’s daughter, 11, also said she wonders why their mother was taken away from them.
“I still dream about my mother and him,” she said previously.
The youngest child, who witnessed the murder, was not ready to absolve his father for what he did.
“Dad I don’t forgive you for what you did to our mom,” the 10-year-old said at the time. “But it is hard when you don’t have a parent around us.”
