Land Dispute Leads Man to Smash Half-Sister’s Mother’s Grave

A family land dispute in Dong Thap province led Pham Thanh Mac to take a hammer to his paternal half-sister’s mother’s grave, according to local police.

Police in My Duc Tay commune said on September 5 that they had prosecuted Mac, 46, and barred him from leaving his residence while investigating alleged violations involving a body, grave or human remains.

Investigators said Mac had been drinking with three other people at home on April 30. Later that afternoon, his paternal half-sister, identified as Pham Thi N., went to her mother’s grave on land involved in the dispute. The two argued, after which Mac returned to the house, took a hammer and struck the grave four or five times before going home.

Police determined that Mac and N. shared a father and that the family’s conflict concerned rights to the plot containing the grave. During questioning, Mac admitted what he had done and voluntarily surrendered the hammer. Authorities said the evidence indicated conduct covered by the offense of violating a body, grave or human remains.