Bich Truong, 56 [Update]

Bich Truong, a 56-year-old Asian woman, died Sunday, Jan. 9, in the 25200 block of South Petroleum Avenue in Harbor City, according to Los Angeles County coroner's records.

Paramedics were called to a home about 10 a.m. where they found Truong and her daughter Lisa Nguyen, a 27-year-old Asian woman, dead in the front of the residence, said Officer Karen Rayner of the Los Angeles Police Department.

A police perimeter was set up at the location, west of the 110 Freeway, after initial concerns that there might be an armed person or more victims inside the home, but a suspect was not located.

About 11:30 a.m., police were dispatched to the 300 block of South Mesa Street in San Pedro after they received reports of a man jumping from a building. Investigators determined that the man was Truong's husband and Nguyen's father, Bach Xuan Nguyen, a 60-year-old Asian man.

During the death investigation, detectives learned that about 9 a.m. Sunday, Bach Xuan Nguyen had gone to a relative’s house and dropped off an envelope. When the relative read the enclosed letter, he discovered that Nguyen claimed he had killed his wife and daughter and intended to commit suicide. The relative then drove to the Nguyens' home to check on the family and found the body of one of the victims inside the residence. At that point the relative called police, officials said.

According to preliminary coroner's records, Truong died of asphyxiation. Coroner's officials said Thursday the cause of death has since been deferred and results will not be available for six to eight weeks.

[Update Jan. 12, 2012: Coroner's officials said Truong died from asphyxia by neck compression and her death was ruled a homicide.]

-- Carla Rivera, Andrew Blankstein and Sarah Ardalani