Bounpanh “Bunni” Xayavongchanh, a 32-year-old female of Laotian descent, was tragically killed on August 14, 2008, in Des Moines, Iowa. A registered nurse at the Iowa Heart Center and a mother to three young children, Devin, Dillon, and Suria, her life was cut short in an act of domestic violence.
The events of that early Thursday morning stemmed from a domestic dispute with her common-law husband, Nath Inthaboun.
After fatally shooting Bounpanh, Inthaboun also shot and killed a witness, 60-year-old Amalia Julia "Mollie" Steele Vasquez. Vasquez had been driving by and, upon seeing Inthaboun walking away from the scene, told him to stop. In response, he approached her car and fired a single shot, killing her.
Following the shootings, Inthaboun retreated to his home on the city's north side, taking his and Bounpanh's three children, ages one, three, and five, with him. When police arrived around 6 a.m., they saw him inside with a gun and established a perimeter. A two-hour standoff ensued, with the primary concern being the safety of the children inside. The standoff concluded when officers used stun grenades to enter the residence and take Inthaboun into custody. The children were unharmed and were later placed with their grandparents.
Nath Inthaboun confessed to the murders. He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Bounpanh Xayavongchanh and Amalia Vasquez. He was also charged with two counts of attempted murder for firing at police officers who responded to the scene; fortunately, no officers were injured.
