Two men charged with murder in dragging death of woman while trying to steal her purse

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Two men have been charged with murder in the dragging death of a 32-year-old Santa Ana woman while attempting to steal her purse. A third suspect has been charged with robbery, according to the OCDA.

Gregory Anthony Walker, 19, of Los Angeles, and Giovanni Solomon Guy, 20, of Los Angeles, have been charged with one count each of murder with a special circumstance of murder in the commission of a robbery. Brad Maurice Brown, Jr., 19, of Hawthorne, has been charged with one felony count of robbery.

Walker and Guy face a minimum sentence of life without the possibility of parole. They are eligible for the death penalty. Brown faces a minimum sentence of two years if convicted of robbery.

At the time of the murder, Walker was out on bail on two felony counts of robbery, one felony count of receiving stolen property, and one felony count of burglary. Guy was out on bail on one felony count of robbery and one count of carrying a concealed firearm.

On May 8, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives were conducting surveillance on vehicle used in a robbery. While under surveillance, Walker, Guy, and Brown drove in a SUV to the Garden Grove Plaza near the intersection of Brookhurst Street and Westminster Boulevard in Garden Grove.

At approximately 9:45 a.m., Guy and Walker exited their vehicle and confronted Nga Ngoc Nguyen, 32, of Santa Ana and attempted to steal her purse. Walker is accused of grabbing Nguyen from behind and throwing her to the ground and grabbing her wristlet. The purse was wrapped around Nguyen’s wrist while Walker continued to drag Nguyen as he ran back to the SUV. Guy returned to the driver’s seat and ran over Nguyen, resulting in traumatic injuries.

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s detectives asked for assistance from the Garden Grove Police Department. Nguyen was transported to a local trauma center, where she was pronounced dead.

The suspects were arrested near the area of the 110 freeway and Century Boulevard in Los Angeles County after they abandoned their vehicle.

The investigation is on-going and anyone with information about this crime is asked to contact the Garden Grove Police Department Crimes Against Persons unit at 714-741-5839.

“The Orange County District Attorney is taken aback by the brutal and callous acts of the defendants which resulted in the death of Nga Nguyen,” said Orange County District Attorney Todd Spitzer. “The Orange County District Attorney’s Office would like to extend its sincerest condolences to the loved ones of Nga Nguyen.”