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Deputies ID Body In Van

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By MIKE WELLS and CARLOS MONCADA, The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 16, 2007

GIBSONTON - Homicide detectives don't yet know why Seffner resident Cuc Thu Tran was killed or how she died.

The 50-year-old woman disappeared from the street where she was jogging Thursday morning and was found 15 miles away inside a burning van in the Gibsonton area.

Her body was identified Saturday by the medical examiner's office, but detectives by that point had a good idea it was Tran based on evidence gathered near her home and at the scene of the fire, Hillsborough County sheriff's spokesman J.D. Callaway said.

The cause of death has not been released by the medical examiner.

Tran left home at 5:30 a.m. Thursday for a jog. Her son reported her missing at 4 p.m. that afternoon, authorities said. Tran lived in the Grandview Mobile Home Park, 5220 County Road 579.

Shortly before 7 a.m. that morning, deputies found the burning van in a vacant lot at 9414 Bullfrog Creek Road, off East Bay Road. The body inside was burned so badly that authorities could not make out the victim's race or gender at the time, officials said.

Van Taken From Parts Store

Detectives traced the van, which was a blue 1993 Dodge minivan that had been parked earlier at Advance Discount Auto's parking lot at 11850 E. Dr. Martin L. King Blvd., near Highview Road in Seffner.

Someone had taken it between 10:45 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday morning and set it ablaze in the Bullfrog Creek lot with Tran inside, Callaway said.

Tran held licenses as a cosmetologist and nail technician. She had lived in the Seffner area for several years and had lived in Worcester, Mass., according to records. She worked at Lee Nail Spa at Westfield Brandon mall.

After the homicide was discovered, investigators canvassed morning commuters in the areas surrounding where Tran was last seen and where she was found, hoping to gain leads from anyone who might have seen a van matching the one that was burned, said sheriff's Maj. Harold Winsett.

He declined to discuss the evidence collected near Tran's home or if detectives found other signs of violence.

Family members who answered the door Saturday at Tran's home said they were too distraught to comment.

Neighbors were stunned and saddened by the news. They said family members often kept to themselves but appeared pleasant and friendly, waving and smiling. Tran was often seen tending to her garden or walking or jogging in the neighborhood.

'It's really tragic,' said Robert Crowthers, who lives a few lots up from Tran. 'I talked to her three days before at the pharmacy. They seemed really nice. The kids are always outside playing football. It's just sad what happened.'

Children Warned

Crowthers, who performs Neighborhood Watch duties in the neighborhood, said children have been warned not to walk outdoors by themselves.

'If this could happen to a grown lady, it could happen to any of the children around here,' he said.

Another neighbor, Teresa Miller, said until recently the park has experienced few problems. Her husband's truck was stolen a few months ago, she said.

'It seems like all of this is now happening out here,' said Miller, who has lived in the neighborhood for more than six years. 'This is usually a pretty quiet park.'

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's office at (813) 247-8200 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS.

Reporter George Wilkens contributed to this report. Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells @tampatrib.com. Reporter Carlos Moncada can be reached at (727) 451-2333 or cmoncada @tampatrib.com.

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