Broadway Actor Quentin Nguyen-Duy Faces Family Tragedy as Sibling Is Accused of Killing Their Father and Stepmother

The devastating murders of an acclaimed Ohio college professor and his wife have cast a shadow over the family of Broadway actor Quentin Nguyen-Duy, whose sibling is accused of carrying out the fatal shootings just as Quentin was preparing for an important stage performance in New York.

Pipo Nguyen-Duy, 64, a respected professor of studio art and photography at Oberlin College, and his wife, Tran Thi Nam Phong, 56, were found shot dead inside their home in Oberlin, Ohio, on October 28.

Their older child, 31-year-old Asia Nguyen-Duy, has been charged in connection with the killings. Asia previously went by the name Daniel Jones and asked the court to use the name Asia Nguyen-Duy and gender-neutral pronouns.

According to prosecutors, the investigation began after police and firefighters responded to a vehicle fire in a parking lot near Oberlin College’s conservatory.

The silver Toyota hatchback had a boarded-up window, a wood-burning stove in the back seat and a makeshift chimney extending through its roof. Investigators also discovered ammunition and personal belongings inside.

Police identified the vehicle’s registered owner as Asia. Later that morning, officers located Asia near a residential property after a local woman reported that a disheveled person had appeared at her door.

During a court hearing, prosecutor Zachary Simonoff said Asia had asked the woman to record a video. In the footage, Asia allegedly identified themself as someone escaping a cult and stated that everything they had done was their own decision and that they accepted responsibility.

The prosecutor also told the court that Asia allegedly admitted to killing members of the family and directed officers to their father’s home.

When police entered the property, they discovered Pipo on the first floor and Phong in an upstairs bedroom. Both had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Authorities have not publicly established a motive for the killings, and the firearm believed to have been used has not been recovered.

Asia faces six counts of murder, four counts of felonious assault and one count of tampering with evidence. A judge set bond at $3 million, and Asia remains in custody.

A competency hearing was scheduled for November 10 as the case moved forward in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. The hearing is intended to address whether Asia is competent to proceed with the criminal case; it does not determine guilt.

The prosecutor also told the court that Asia’s biological mother, who lives in Oregon, had contacted authorities and expressed concerns about Asia’s mental health, saying medication was needed. Those comments were presented as part of the investigation, not as a public medical determination.

Meanwhile, attention has turned to Quentin, Pipo’s younger child, whose acting career has been developing in New York.

Quentin has appeared in television productions including Law & Order: SVU and The Rookie. He was also performing in Aaron Sorkin’s stage production of A Few Good Men at Lincoln Center Theater when the family tragedy unfolded.

The play also features actors Tom Blyth, Krysta Rodriguez and Bradley Whitford.

Despite receiving the devastating news shortly before the production’s official opening, Quentin reportedly continued with his scheduled performance on October 29.

The actor has not publicly commented on the killings. His mother, Élan Chardin Gombart, issued a statement on behalf of the family asking for privacy and compassion.

She said that all the families involved were deeply grieving and hoped that further reporting would treat those affected with sensitivity.

Quentin’s relationship with his father had appeared close in photographs and social media posts shared over the years. Pipo had publicly celebrated his younger child’s birthday and expressed pride in his acting career. Quentin had also shared moments with his father and stepmother, including family activities and time spent together.

Pipo’s death has also devastated the Oberlin College community, where he had taught since 1998. Born in Vietnam, he arrived in the United States as a political refugee in 1975 and went on to become an internationally recognized photographer.

In 2011, he received a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship for photography. His work explored themes including migration, cultural identity, intimacy and the consequences of war.

Oberlin College remembered him as a beloved teacher, artist and colleague whose influence extended across generations of students.

As the criminal proceedings continue, the family is left mourning two lives lost in a case that has drawn attention far beyond the college community. For Quentin, the tragedy has unfolded in the middle of a major professional moment, while his sibling faces serious criminal charges.

Asia has not been convicted, and the allegations must be established through the judicial process.

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