A Bucks County, Pennsylvania, woman accused of shooting her two sons in the head as they slept is expected to be charged with murder, authorities said Monday.
Jeffrey and Nelson Tini, 13 and 9, died Friday, four days after the May 2 shooting. They were being kept alive until their organs could be donated through the Gift of Life program, prosecutors said.
Their mother, Trinh Nguyen, had been charged with three counts of attempted murder and related crimes for shooting the boys and then attempting to shoot a neighbor who heard the shots and came the house. .
News of the boys’ deaths was met with sadness in the Council Rock School District, where they were students.
“It is with deep sadness that I share that Jeffrey and Nelson Tini passed away on Friday, May 6, 2022,” Acting Superintendent Susan Elliott said in a statement. “Jeffrey attended eighth grade at Newtown Middle School, and Nelson attended third grade at Sol Feinstone Elementary. We are deeply saddened to lose two of our Council Rock students and will miss them greatly.”
Law enforcement officials have not released a motive for the shooting, but court records show that the family faced mounting financial problems in the months leading up to the shooting.
Nguyen and her sons were set to be evicted May 3 from their half of the duplex they shared with the family of her ex-husband, according to court records. Nguyen owed more than $11,000 in unpaid rent to her former sister-in-law, Corrina Tini-Melchiondo, who owned the building, records show.
Nguyen divorced Nelson’s father, Ed Tini, last year, according to court records. Documents from the eviction dispute show that Nguyen and Tini-Melchiondo had a rocky relationship, and her former sister-in-law and landlord had accused her of abusive and harassing behavior.
The home Nguyen lived in is part of a duplex shared with other members of the Melchiondo family. When Gianni Melchiondo, 22, went to investigate the sounds of gunfire on May 2, he found Nguyen on the front lawn, holding a box of photos, according to Bucks County District Attorney Matt Weintraub.
Nguyen asked Melchiondo if he would take the photos to her ex-husband, who works with him, investigators said. Melchiondo agreed, and when he took the photos from Nguyen, authorities said, she pulled out a revolver, aimed it at him, and pulled the trigger twice.
The gun did not fire, and Melchiondo was able to wrestle the gun away from Nguyen, who then fled in her minivan, according to the affidavit of probable cause for her arrest.
Inside the home, officers found the boys in their bedrooms, both shot in the head, Weintraub said. They were taken to St. Mary Medical Center in critical condition.
Hours after the shooting, administrators at the Washington Crossing Methodist Church called Upper Makefield Police to report that Nguyen’s van was parked on church’s property. They recognized the vehicle from social media posts about the crime by police.
Police apprehended Nguyen, who was rushed to the hospital because she had ingested narcotics in an attempt to kill herself, according to prosecutors. Nguyen had additional ammunition for the gun, which she legally purchased, with her in the van, authorities said.
Jeffrey and Nelson were remembered as fun-loving kids active in sports at Council Rock schools. Last week, friends, neighbors, and classmates gathered at a vigil for the brothers.
Elliott said the school district would be providing counselors and other help for students and staff.
“This tragic event has shocked our Council Rock community,” her statement said.” As a school community, we will continue to provide supports for students, staff, and families as we cope with this horrific event.”
