SINGAPORE - Her mother was simply too distraught to speak at the wake of 32-year-old Tran Cam Ny, who was found murdered last Thursday at a flat in Ang Mo Kio.
But the dead woman's 20-year-old sister, Ana Dina, revealed that Ms Tran, who has been living in Singapore for a decade, had called her family in Vietnam two days before she was allegedly killed to say that she would be visiting them soon.
"My mother didn't believe that she died. She said it cannot be, my sister didn't do anything wrong," said Ms Dina, who had flown in from Malaysia, where she lives, after being told of her sister's death.
Ms Tran, a Vietnamese, is the fifth of eight siblings.
Ms Dina said on Wednesday evening at a funeral parlour at Sin Ming Drive, where the wake was held, that she last saw Ms Tran a year ago, when she was in Singapore for a two-week holiday.
About 20 of Ms Tran's friends were there on Wednesday as well.
They said she was twice married, both to Singaporeans, and had a daughter from the first marriage. According to them, her husband helped arrange the two-day wake, which was paid for by undertaker Roland Tay.
They also said that she worked as a KTV singer, dancer and hostess. But no one knew what her relationship with her alleged murderer was.
Singaporean Lim Hou Peng Jackson, 40, was charged on Saturday with the murder. He was remanded for psychiatric investigation and would appear in court again on Dec 12.
He was arrested at his two-room flat at Block 406 at Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10 last Thursday, after reportedly calling the police for assistance. Lim was found with the body of Ms Tran. He had abrasions on his left cheek and forehead.
Residents of said they heard a loud commotion hours before the arrest last Thursday afternoon. Neighbours said Lim was known for the tattoos on his arms, legs and neck, and has often been seen bringing home various women who spoke foreign languages.
