Man Lured to Commit Murder with "Gay Sex"
By Denise Penn
The trial of a North Carolina defendant – Tanya Nelson, 45 - accused of the murder of two Westminster women last April opened in mid-January. Orange County Deputy District Attorney, Sonia Balleste told the court that Nelson gained the assistance of her co-defendant, Philippe Zamora, 55, by promising to help him meet gay men.
The victims, Ha Smith, 52, and her daughter, Anita Vo, 23, were murdered during a home invasion robbery last year. After stabbing both women many times and ransacking the house, the killers doused the bodies with white paint.
According to allegations, Nelson was able to lure Zamora into agreeing to fly to Orange County and commit the crime because she knew he was a closeted gay man and would be anxious to get the opportunity to meet potential sex partners.
Last year, Zamora pled guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and he will testify against Nelson. He faces a potential sentence of 50 years to life in prison. Nelson faces two counts of murder and the possible finding of special circumstances that would cause this to be a death penalty case: murder during the commission of a robbery, lying-in-wait, financial gain and multiple murders. Zamora avoids a possible death penalty sentence because he pled guilty and agreed to assist prosecutors.
Ha Smith was a fortune teller who frequently wore expensive jewelry, and Nelson was one of her clients. At the time of the murder, many expensive items were taken including the victims credit cards. Police were able to locate the two suspects after the cards had been used.
There has only been one woman sentenced to death in Orange County: Maria Alfaro, who was convicted in the stabbing death of a child during a home-invasion robbery. She is currently on death row.