A Huntington Beach man was charged Friday with murder in the stabbing of his co-worker on the Cal State Fullerton campus.
Chuyen Vo, 51, faces one count of murder with enhancements for use of a knife and lying in wait, the Orange County District Attorney’s Office said in a news release.
Authorities say Vo stabbed 57-year-old Steven Chan in a parking lot at the campus Monday.
Chan retired from an administrative job at the college in 2017 but returned this year to work as a consultant. His family said he was a father who resided in Hacienda Heights.
Police have declined to discuss the relationship between the co-workers or a motive for the killing. Another campus staffer, Associate Vice President Ellen Treanor, told KTLA both men worked in the department administering study abroad programs.
Investigators say a backpack found at the homicide scene helped identify Vo as the suspect. They were also able to obtain surveillance video showing the assailant running from the area to another parking lot down the street, where they say he took off in a newer model BMW X6.
If convicted as charged, Vo will face a minimum sentence of life without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.
A district attorney’s spokeswoman says Vo’s arraignment has been postponed to Oct. 4. It was not immediately known if he had an attorney.
The defendant is being held without bail in county jail.
KTLA’s Erika Martin contributed to this report.