“Nicest” Viet murderer sentenced to 63 years to life

A Vietnamese-American car salesman, once called “the nicest killer I’ve ever met” by the cop who nailed him, was sentenced today to 63 years to life in prison for the death of a 15-year-old girl who was working as a prostitute, according to a press release from the Orange County D.A.’s office.

Jonathan Phong Khanh Tran, 23, of Garden Grove (pictured right), had been convicted in March of last year of one felony count of murder, two felony counts of forcible rape, and one felony count of oral copulation under the color of authority. The jury also found as true the sentencing enhancements for being armed with a firearm during sexual offenses.

Tran’s victim was 15-year-old Hanna Montesorri, who had run away from her Georgia home and was working along Harbor Boulevard in Santa Ana as a prostitute. Hanna Montesorri was the great-great-granddaughter of ”the” Montessorri, the founder of the schools and educational method bearing her name.

According to the prosecution, in January 2004 Tran drove to Harbor Boulevard, spotted Montesorri, picked her up in his truck and drove away with the victim. He then tried to rape her. To escape, Montessori jumped from the moving truck.  She was later found lying in the street bleeding profusely from the head and died a short time afterwards from massive brain damage. 

At his trial, it took the jury only 90 minutes to reach their unanimous verdict. In addition to the murder of Montessori, Tran was also convicted of assaulting and raping three other women in the same area of Harbor Boulevard. In one instance, Tran showed the victim a badge and forced her to orally copulate him to avoid arrest for prostitution.

Tran was, in fact, not a cop. He was a well-educated, well-dressed, nice young Nissan car salesman who was engaged to be married. His entire family was shocked at his dark side. According to Tran’s mother, he had bought her a new Nissan Altima shortly before his arrest.

The OC Weekly’s Scott Moxley had this in-depth report here on Tran and his crimes. Also read Moxley’s report from the last day of Tran’s trial here. That’s where Moxley quoted Santa Ana homicide detective Dean Fulcher as saying Tran is “the nicest killer I’ve ever met.”