Police charge husband with homicide in murder-suicide attempt in Springettsbury Township

Authorities have ruled the fatal stabbing of Xuan Trang Pham as a homicide, and police have charged her husband in her death, according to the York County Coroner's Office and Springettsbury Township Police.

Long Nguyen, 55, has been charged with criminal homicide and was arraigned before District Judge Robert Eckenrode, police said in a news release. Nguyen will be committed to York County Prison when he is released from York Hospital.

Police responded to a home in the 3600 block of Harrowgate Road on Sept. 13 to check on the welfare of the residents. Officers found Pham, 49, deceased.

Nguyen had a laceration to his neck and puncture wounds to his abdomen, according to an affidavit of probable cause. He was unconscious but alive. He was taken to the hospital.

Investigators found a black butcher knife and a red-handled filet knife on the bed near Pham, the affidavit states.

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An autopsy showed that Pham had died of stab wounds to the neck and abdomen. The coroner initially ruled the death a homicide but later changed the manner to "pending," citing additional information.

Police and the coroner's office continued to investigate, and a search warrant was executed at the residence to help determine the manner of death.

On Friday, police interviewed Nguyen with the help of a Vietnamese interpreter. He told investigators that his wife suffered with health issues because she had a stroke two years ago. Nguyen was her primary caregiver, the affidavit states.

Nguyen told police that he stabbed his wife twice, killing her, the affidavit states. She was not aware that it was going to happen.

Nguyen said he then stabbed himself in an apparent suicide attempt, the affidavit states.

Police charged Nguyen on Friday in his wife's death, and the coroner has ruled it as a homicide, according to news releases from both offices.

York County has had 26 homicides so far this year. Two of those deaths involved individuals who were injured in Adams County and died in York County.

Learn more:Homicides are up over last year's numbers. Why?

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Husband charged in fatal stabbing in Springettsbury Township: police