History repeats: Thursday's cleaver attack eerily similar to one in 1999

Thursday's gruesome cleaver attack on two women bears a striking resemblance to a November 1999 attack at the exact address, 72 Hyde Street. Two men were hospitalized when a third attacked them with a meat cleaver. 

Minh Nguyen, 31, was sentenced to 45 years in prison for the attempted murder of Dung Tran, 28, and aggravated assault on Dugen Nguyen (later reported as Duyen Doan), 30, police said.

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From the brief on Nov. 27. 1999

Tran, who suffered cuts to his head, chest, arm and ankle, was listed in serious condition Friday at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington. Dugen Nguyen, who according to police suffered a substantial cut to his forehead, was treated and released.

Police said Minh Nguyen and Dugen Nguyen are not related.

Police were called to a North Winooski Avenue home about 3:50 a.m. Friday, where they said they found two men who had received "serious knife-like wounds." The men said there had been an argument at 72 Hyde St. and they were assaulted by a man with a meat cleaver.

From the brief on Dec. 26, 2000

Minh Nguyen, 31, was convicted this year on two counts of attempted second-degree murder. Prosecutors said Nguyen struck his roommate, Duyen Doan, in the head with the cleaver after an argument and hacked Dung Tran with the cleaver when Tran tried to help Doan. Nguyen testified at the trial that he acted in self defense.

Contributing: Nicole Higgins DeSmet and Adam Silverman, Free Press.

Follow Nicole Higgins DeSmet on Twitter @NicoleHDeSmet and Adam Silverman @wej12.