Murder Suspect Makes Court Appearance

One of the men accused of an execution-style double murder in Hillyard made his first court appearance Thursday.

Giao Ly, 21, was charged with two counts of first-degree aggravated murder and ordered held without bond.

On Wednesday night, Spokane police detectives escorted Ly from Connecticut, where he was arrested recently.

He is suspected of taking part in the murder of Johnny Hagan Jr., 26, and his wife, Hong Nga Thi Pham, 23, last July.

Both victims were bound with telephone cord and repeatedly shot in the head. Hagan also was stabbed in the neck and Pham’s face was slashed.

Another suspect in the case, Run Peter Chhoun, 23, is in jail in Sacramento, Calif., awaiting trial on multiple murder charges there. He is not expected to be extradited to Spokane anytime soon.

Both Ly and Chhoun are suspected members of an Asian gang. Police think robbery may have been the motive in the slayings.

Spokane County Prosecutor Jim Sweetser has said he may seek the death penalty in the case.

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