Police checking murder suspect’s ties to robberies

NEWPORT-MESA -- Costa Mesa and Newport Beach police department

officials are investigating whether a 26-year-old Costa Mesa murder

suspect was involved in recent jewelry store robberies in the two cities.

Members of the Costa Mesa police SWAT team arrested Anh The Duong at a

gym Monday. Duong, who appeared on “America’s Most Wanted” in April 2000,

is suspected of murdering at least six people throughout California.

On May 3, 1997, Duong allegedly killed a grocery store owner in San

Jose during a robbery. He is also suspected of murdering someone during a

1998 computer store robbery in Fremont. In addition, Duong allegedly shot

to death four people at The International Club in El Monte on May 6,

1999.

Police officials are now trying to figure out whether Duong was

involved in a September robbery at Torneau Watch Co. at South Coast Plaza

and a January shooting at Traditional Jewelers at Fashion Island that

left one security guard wounded.

“Just based on his [modus operandi] with other crimes that he’s

committed, we are looking at him as a possible individual that is

involved” in the Torneau robbery, said Lt. Dale Birney of the Costa Mesa

Police Department.

But so far there is no proof that Duong was even in the area when the

robbery occurred, he said, adding that police detectives are still

researching his whereabouts at the time.

While it’s also still unclear whether Duong played a role in the

Traditional Jewelers shooting, store owner Marion Halfacre said he was

“really grateful” for the arrest.

“Our police department just did a fabulous job on this case,” he said,

calling the shooting a bold and brazen act without precedence that

shocked the community. “Hopefully [the arrest] will send a message to

others not to mess with our police department.”

Sgt. Steve Shulman, a spokesman for the Newport Beach Police

Department, said investigators were reviewing evidence gathered at the

store after the shooting, as well as evidence gathered after Duong’s

arrest.

“Any evidence that could tie him to the location will be looked at,”

Shulman said, adding that police officials were also trying to figure out

where Duong was at the time of the shooting.

Birney said he expects officials for other police departments in

Orange County, such as Garden Grove, are also checking out possibilities

that Duong was involved in robberies in their jurisdictions. Garden Grove

police officials could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Costa Mesa police officials worked for four to six weeks with the FBI

and several police departments in the county to arrest Duong. The three

jurisdictions with warrants for Duong’s arrest are still deciding where

Duong is going to face the charges against him.

Costa Mesa residents Edward Lwanga Mukasa, 33, and Christine Kaimen

Chen, 19, were also arrested on suspicion of harboring a fugitive and of

being accessories to murder after the fact in connection with the Duong

case, Birney said.