Thuy Phan/Nguoi Viet Daily News
SANTA ANA, Calif. – Barbara Ann Hamel was found guilty Monday of first-degree murder for the 2010 botched robbery and slaying of 55-year-old Chi Bui. Additionally, an Orange County Superior Court jury found her guilty of second-degree robbery, and attempted second-degree robbery with a special circumstance of murder during a robbery.
She had previously pleaded guilty to second-degree murder but at her sentencing in February 2014, she withdrew her plea, saying she was drugged. Her co-defendants – Tad Allen Carroll, 45, and Michael William Ross, 31 – also pleaded guilty and were sentenced to 25 years to life in prison and 15 years to life in prison, respectively.
Jurors convicted Barbara Ann Hamel,51, of first degree murder for the Sep.3, 2010 death of gambler Chi Bui. (Photo courtesy of Santa Ana Police Department)
On the stand last week, Hamel testified that Ross and Carroll gave her soda that was laced with GHB, also known as a date-rape drug, and forced her to go along with the plan to follow Bui home from Hawaiian Gardens Casino and rob him.
“She felt strongly something was not right and when she put two and two together, she realized there was impairment on her part. She was steadfast on that point once she figured it out,” said her attorney Kenneth Norelli.
Prosecutors said Ross was inside the casino in the early morning hours of Sept. 3, 2010, and watched Bui as he won and cashed $10,000 worth of chips. Ross then made a call to Carroll and Hamel, who were waiting in the parking lot and instructed them to follow Bui home with the intent to rob him of his winnings.
Chi Bui, 55, was followed, beaten, robbed and run over on September 3, 2010. He won $10,000 and was targeted for his big winnings. (Photo courtesy of Santa Ana Police Department)
Bui was in the passenger seat, being driven by his friend Kim Nguyen, when they were boxed in the cul-de-sac of her home in Santa Ana by Carroll and Hamel. According to prosecutors, Carroll, who was driving, got out of the car and ran to the driver’s side, demanding money. When he realized Bui wasn’t driving, he then ran to the other side of the car and threatened him with a knife and began beating him. Prosecutors say Bui was able to wrestle the knife away and cut his attacker with the weapon but at 5-foot-6 and weighing only 98 pounds, Bui was no match for the 6-foot-4 Carroll.
Prosecutors say that while Carroll was “pummeling” – the word Hamel used to describe the scene to detectives – Bui on the sidewalk, Hamel moved to the driver’s side and maneuvered the car so that Carroll could get back in. Deputy District Attorney Larry Yellin said in their attempt to get away, Hamel ran over Bui’s head, killing him instantly. He alleged the pair then took the car back to her Long Beach home and washed it, per Ross’s instructions, making sure to “take note of the undercarriage,” which would have contained evidence if they were tracked down.
Days later, police arrested all three and took them into custody.
Tad Allen Carroll pleaded guilty to first degree murder and was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in February 2014. (Photo courtesy of Santa Ana Police Department)
Leon Bui, 73, the victim’s older brother, said he found out his brother was killed the day after the murder while reading the news. He said,”It’s been really difficult financially and emotionally not having my brother around. I lost my son in 2005 on Bolsa Avenue to a car accident and I lost my younger brother five years later, a few miles down but also on Bolsa Avenue. I hate that street. It’s a lot of pain I’ve had to endure.”
During the trial, Yellin played back audio recordings of Kim Nguyen’s frantic 911 call and also showed surveillance video from Hawaiian Gardens Casino of Carroll and Hamel following Bui and Nguyen from the parking lot. Norelli brought in an expert testifying that the effects of GHB were consistent with the claims Hamel made when talking to investigators, saying she was “tired” and “sleepy.” No actual tests were done to confirm the presence of GHB since it was brought up by Hamel years after her initial arrest, and after several days, GHB would be untraceable in the body.
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Michael William Ross, 31, formerly of Long Beach, pleaded guilty to second degree murder and received 15 years to life in prison. He was the one who targeted Bui for robbery at Hawaiian Gardens Casino. (Photo courtesy of Santa Ana Police Department)
Jurors, who asked to not be named, said it took them less than five hours collectively to come to their guilty verdict. One juror said it wasn’t unanimous at first, but after reviewing the facts and jury instructions, the jurors reached the verdict with clarity.
“The jurors came to the correct conclusion in this case, and this equation called exactly for this guilty answer,” said Steve McGreevy, a deputy district attorney present at the reading of the verdict. He thanked the jurors for their service on behalf of Yellin, who was in charge of this case.
“It is a very tragic case for Chi Bui and his family, but my client Barbara Hamel in no way wanted to run him over. She felt like she was drugged, which disabled her resistance,” Norelli said.
Hamel faces life in prison without the possibility of parole and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 29. She would have received 15 years to life with the possibility of parole had she accepted the original plea deal.
Bui, who has waited years for this conviction, says his family is relieved but can’t wait for it to be over once Hamel’s sentencing is complete.
“People who commit crimes and then try to weasel their way out of it by lying or shirking responsibility do not deserve to live in this great country that is built on freedom and democracy. It doesn’t matter how I feel about her– my brother is dead and nothing will change that.”
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