Vantha Tho, a 35-year-old hair stylist and former Miss Cambodia America 1998, was tragically shot and killed on July 28, 2016, in Hermosa Beach, California. Tho was sleeping in her rented room, located just two blocks from the beach, when her estranged boyfriend, Angel Marquez, broke in and began shooting. Witnesses reported hearing a single scream followed by gunshots. Tho was pronounced dead at the scene with gunshot wounds to the head.
Marquez, who was 32 years old, immediately turned the gun on himself and was also pronounced dead at the scene. A note was found at the scene, but it did not provide a clear motive for the murder-suicide.
Tho had ended her relationship with Marquez months earlier, but he continued to pursue her, allegedly breaking into her house and harassing her. Friends and family described Tho as a kind and loving person who never brought her personal problems to work. Her death was a shock to her community, where she was well-liked and respected. Tho's family had immigrated to the United States from Cambodia, escaping the Khmer Rouge regime. Her death was the second violent tragedy for her family, as her brother, Vouthy Tho, was also killed in a shooting in 2003.
The investigation into Tho's death was led by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, with assistance from the Hermosa Beach Police Department. The case was classified as a domestic murder-suicide, and no further arrests or suspects were involved. The community mourned the loss of Tho, with many expressing their condolences and sharing memories of her positive impact on their lives. An online fundraising account was set up to support Tho's surviving family members during this difficult time.
