Update on the fatal shooting in 29 Hobart
A few days ago, a police standoff occurred at 29 Hobart, San Mateo resulting in 2 fatalities. The police released the shooter’s identity as Raymond Gee of Oakland a couple days ago, and they say that he has been stalking the slain woman for weeks on the internet and in real life. Some articles say that Raymond pursued Loan Kim Nguyen because she was a strikingly beautiful former beauty contestant. Now there is a a new article today that says the Gee family believes that Raymond Gee went to the house to collect a debt because the stalking story didn’t seem to make too much sense.
The story is getting a bit more convoluted now, but right now I believe the debt angle more than the stalking angle from what is being reported. First, the family was clearly in financial trouble. A family friend reported that Loan Kim Nguyen had to take a job at a high end club to help out with the finances. The media also reported that the husband works as a loan officer at Wachovia, which is a troubled bank that is being purchased by Wells Fargo. They bought their home for 1.198 million just last year, and even with 20% down it would be a jumbo loan and their PITI probably topped $8000 a month. Perhaps it was more affordable in the boom times but now they are strapped and that’s why the house has been on the market for about 2 months at the time of the incident. Next, the police say that Loan Kim Nguyen met Raymond Gee in the club she worked at. That may be true, but it really sounds like Raymond Gee is not one of those high rolling businessmen that the club caters to. So I’m guessing that Gee was probably a hired henchman sent to collect on some debts since he is a small time criminal doing probation.
The home is now understandably off the market since it is officially a crime scene, but it probably needs to be sold or it could go into foreclosure if the family can no longer support payments. The property tax on the home will be delinquent in a week according to San Mateo Tax Collector’s website. I hope the police can find the truth in this case because two very young people died and two little kids lost their mom. If the cause of their deaths is really financial rather than romantic, then the home indirectly contributed to their deaths and I don’t think any Asian person would ever buy the house because it would be considered cursed.
Update: Full story from San Mateo police. Neither deaths were caused by police.
If you would like to help the family of Loan Kim Nguyen financially, here is her memorial website.
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