Police Search For Man Involved In Home Invasion

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego police Friday sought a named suspect in a home invasion robbery and rape that occurred Oct. 18 in Redwood Village.

Tommy Nguyen, 32, is suspected in the rape and holdup in the 5900 block of Hughes Street in which three men were doused with lighter fluid under threat of being set on fire, according to Monica Munoz of the San Diego Police Department.

Nguyen, also known as Trieu Nguyen, is of Vietnamese descent and about 5 feet 2 inches and 120 pounds; he is bald and has brown eyes, Munoz said. He works in construction as a framer and speaks fluent English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Nguyen is suspected of similar crimes in Riverside and Orange counties and should be considered armed and dangerous, Munoz said.

Kevin Sellers and Vanna Chheun, both 29, were arrested at the scene of the crimes after standoff of with a SWAT team. Both pleaded not guilty to several felonies and remain jailed, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. Their next court hearing is set for Jan. 7.

The suspects bound the male victims' hands and feet and covered their heads, threatening to kill them if they didn't give their attackers $20,000, according to police and prosecutors. They allegedly then doused the men with lighter fluid.

A couple came home while the robbery was under way and the intruders tied up the husband and took the wife to a bedroom and raped her, Deputy District Attorney Rachel Cano told The Union-Tribune.

Police asked anyone with information as to Nguyen's whereabouts to call Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 888-580-8477. Crime Stoppers was offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to his arrest.