Dương Văn Môn was a poor rice farmer living in Krông Pắk District, located in Vietnam’s Đắk Lắk Province. He was a member of the Nùng ethnic minority, a group with deep roots in the country’s rural highlands. Life for Môn and his family was difficult. Struggling to make ends meet through traditional farming methods, he lived in poverty and was burdened by the expectations of preserving his culture's customs and rituals.

At some point in his life, Môn reportedly suffered from a mental illness, though the exact diagnosis was never publicly disclosed. Despite his struggles, he lived quietly until the death of his mother in 1998, which triggered a sequence of events that would end in unimaginable violence.

After his mother passed away, Môn attempted to bury her in a plot of land that belonged to the village. However, this request was denied by the local authorities or community leaders, forcing him to dig a grave on his own property. This decision came with cultural and financial consequences. In many Vietnamese traditions, funerals are grand affairs that involve several days of rituals, feasting, and public ceremonies.

On the third day of his mother’s funeral feast, things took a drastic and violent turn. Guests attending the ceremony began to complain about the lack of food and alcohol which is an insult that Môn may have interpreted as shameful or humiliating, especially during such a culturally significant time. The combination of social pressure, financial debt, unresolved grief, and mental instability pushed Môn to the edge.

In a sudden act of violence, the 35-year-old armed himself with two machete-like knives and began attacking those present. His first victims were an elderly woman who was helping prepare food and a child who was nearby. From there, Môn escalated the massacre, running through his village and attacking both relatives and neighbors.

By the end of the rampage, 11 people were dead, including seven children. Six others were injured, one of whom was Môn’s own wife. Early reports stated that one of the injured later died in hospital, though this detail was not consistently confirmed in later coverage. The killings took place over the course of approximately four and a half hours before villagers were finally able to subdue him.

After being restrained, Môn attempted suicide by ingesting insecticide, but villagers forced him to vomit it back up before handing him over to police. He was immediately taken into custody and transferred to a local hospital for treatment.

Following his recovery, he stood trial and was found guilty of murder. In November 1998, the Vietnamese court sentenced Dương Văn Môn to death for the killings. While official records on his execution are not publicly available, it is widely presumed that the sentence was carried out, as Vietnam is known for enforcing capital punishment in cases involving mass murder.