OBERLIN, OH — Police in Oberlin say the son of an Oberlin College professor is facing murder charges after a double homicide that left the professor and his wife dead in their off-campus home. Investigators identified the victim as Pipo Nguyen-Duy, a 64-year-old studio art and photography professor, and said his 56-year-old wife, Tran Thi Phong, was also found dead Wednesday morning.

Authorities said both victims had multiple gunshot wounds. The suspect, Daniel Jones, who a prosecutor said is formerly known as Asia Nguyen-Duy, was arrested and later ordered held on $3 million bail after his first court appearance Thursday. Police said the case remains under investigation and a motive has not yet been established.

Police say both victims were found with multiple gunshot wounds in the home

The Oberlin Police Department said officers found Nguyen-Duy on the first floor of the residence and Phong on the second floor. In a Thursday update, police said both people suffered multiple gunshot wounds. The home is off campus, but the killing prompted an immediate law enforcement response that quickly spread to the college community.

Police have not said publicly what led to the shooting. They also said the weapon allegedly used has not been recovered. Prosecutor Zachary Simonoff told the court that Jones had cuts to his face and injuries to his hand and arm, but investigators have not explained how those injuries occurred.

A campus vehicle fire and a strange encounter preceded the discovery

About 90 minutes before the bodies were found, officers were called to Oberlin College to help firefighters put out a vehicle fire in a parking lot, authorities said. That response added another urgent thread to a morning that was already unfolding as a major police matter.

Later, at 10:19 a.m., officers located the vehicle’s registered owner, Jones, after an Oberlin resident called police about a “wet disheveled man” at her front door. Police took him into custody without incident. The sequence of events gave investigators an early lead that tied the suspect to both the vehicle and the homicide investigation.

Court records and prosecutor statements outline what Jones allegedly said

During Thursday’s hearing, Jones appeared in handcuffs and ankle shackles and was carried into the courtroom by bailiffs. He did not enter a plea to multiple counts of murder, felonious assault and tampering with evidence. The judge said the case will next go to a Lorain County grand jury for possible indictment.

Simonoff said Jones had asked the Oberlin resident to record a video of him to post online and told her he did not want police involved. In court, the prosecutor quoted Jones as saying in the video that he was escaping a cult and taking full responsibility for what he did. Simonoff also said Jones allegedly told police, “I killed my family,” and then gave officers his father’s address.

Judge sets bail at three million dollars after defense request for less

Jones’ court-appointed attorney, Jenifer Berki Merril, told the judge that she and her client agreed with a request for $1.5 million bail. Oberlin Municipal Court Judge Farah L. Emeka rejected that figure and set bail at $3 million, citing what she called the egregious nature of the charges.

Emeka’s decision keeps Jones in jail while the case moves forward in Lorain County. Prosecutors said police have also been in contact with Jones’ mother in Oregon, who told investigators that her son is psychotic and needs medication. Those statements were relayed in court as authorities continued sorting through the circumstances around the killings.

Oberlin College mourns a longtime professor and artist

Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar identified Nguyen-Duy as one of the victims in a message to students and staff on Wednesday. She said the college issued a shelter-in-place order at police request while officers investigated the shooting. The message reflected the shock on campus after news of the deaths spread.

Nguyen-Duy had taught studio art and photography at Oberlin since 1998. Ambar said he was beloved and noted that he had immigrated from Vietnam in 1975 as a political refugee before becoming an internationally exhibited artist. She also said he received major recognition, including a Guggenheim Fellowship.

Questions remain about motive as investigators continue the case

For now, investigators say the motive remains unclear. Police have not announced whether the home invasion, the vehicle fire, or Jones’ statements to officers point to a fuller explanation, and they have not said how the gunfire unfolded inside the house. The missing weapon also leaves a key piece of evidence unresolved.

The case now moves toward the next stages in Ohio criminal court, where a grand jury will consider whether to indict Jones. Until then, the allegations remain under review, and the college community is left grieving a professor whose work and teaching had shaped Oberlin for more than two decades.