Prosecutors said a charging decision was expected after detectives submit a felony referral.
AUBURN, Wash. — A judge set $2 million bail for a 30-year-old man accused in court records of killing his mother inside a condominium near Auburn, a decision that kept him jailed as prosecutors awaited a full case referral for a possible second-degree murder charge.
The ruling came at a first-appearance hearing on Feb. 25, one day after deputies responding to a welfare check found the woman dead and arrested her son inside the residence. Investigators say the suspect described choking the victim and stomping on her neck after an argument about school and finances. Prosecutors said they expected to receive detectives’ formal referral by Feb. 27 to make a charging decision.
Deputies were dispatched to a condominium in the 28700 block of 34th Avenue South shortly after 2 p.m. Tue., Feb. 24, after a 911 caller reported finding a woman unresponsive inside the home, according to accounts in court documents. Deputies entered through an unlocked door and found the woman on the floor with visible facial injuries, including swollen eyes and blood coming from her nose, the records say. Aid crews tried life-saving measures, but she was pronounced dead at 2:09 p.m. Authorities identified the victim as Thuy Nu Thu Ton. Her son, Antony Ton Le, was taken into custody later that afternoon and booked for investigation of murder.
The initial caller was described in records as the condominium’s owner and Le’s roommate. He told investigators he left for work around 1:30 a.m. and returned home about 1:10 p.m. When he walked in, he noticed blankets piled on the living room floor. After moving a blanket, he found Ton lying on her back with her eyes open and her arms folded across her chest, the records say. The roommate told deputies he went to a neighbor’s home to call 911. He also told investigators that Ton often stayed at the condo to care for her son, and that she cooked and cleaned for him, according to the probable cause narrative.
After deputies arrived, investigators said they established a perimeter and attempted to contact Le inside the residence, but he did not respond. A tactical team entered later and found him in a bedroom, taking him into custody without incident at about 3:58 p.m., court records say. Detectives transported Le to SeaTac City Hall for an interview. During a recorded interview summarized in court documents, Le allegedly said he believed he had killed his mother after an argument about school and finances. He described grabbing her in a chokehold, throwing her to the ground, and stomping on her neck multiple times, the records say.
Detectives wrote that Le’s interview included statements they described as incoherent, along with comments about demons, possession, and an “AI video.” In the same interview summary, investigators said Le claimed he tried to “heal” his mother by placing blankets and pillows on her after the assault and did not call 911. He allegedly told detectives he washed his clothes and went to bed. Investigators said he later acknowledged that part of his statement was untrue, but continued to maintain that he killed his mother. Authorities have not publicly released an autopsy report or detailed forensic findings, and they have not said what additional evidence was collected beyond what deputies observed at the scene.
Court records also describe concerns raised by the roommate about Le’s mental health. The roommate told deputies that Le had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder and had a history of violence when not taking medication, according to the narrative. The roommate said Le stopped taking prescribed medication about five months before the killing and had become increasingly hostile, the records say. Those claims have not been backed by publicly released medical documentation, and investigators have not said whether Le had a treating provider at the time. Still, the statements became part of the early record prosecutors used to argue for detention and a high bail amount.
At the Feb. 25 first-appearance hearing, prosecutors argued there was probable cause for second-degree murder and asked the court to set bail at $2 million. After hearing from both sides, the court set bail at that amount, keeping Le in custody. In Washington, first-appearance hearings typically occur soon after an arrest and focus on whether probable cause exists and what conditions of release, if any, should be imposed. They do not require prosecutors to file charges that day, and they do not substitute for later hearings where the state must meet higher standards to proceed.
The legal path ahead depends on the next paperwork filed by investigators. Prosecutors said they had not yet received the formal felony referral from sheriff’s office investigators but anticipated receiving it by Fri., Feb. 27, for a charging decision. If charges are filed, an arraignment would follow, and the case would move toward additional hearings. Authorities have not said whether they will request mental health evaluations or competency proceedings, steps that can arise after charging if attorneys or the court raise questions about a defendant’s ability to understand the proceedings. Investigators have also not said whether additional witnesses will be interviewed beyond the roommate and responding deputies.
Outside the courtroom, the case has drawn attention because of the brutal details contained in early court records and the way it began: a roommate returning home to find blankets stacked on the living room floor, then discovering the victim underneath. The tactical response at the condo, followed by an interview at SeaTac City Hall, produced the statements investigators say support probable cause. Authorities have not released any public statement from family members, and no victim-impact comments were presented at the first appearance, which is typically brief and procedural.
As of Thu., Feb. 26, Le remained in custody on $2 million bail while prosecutors awaited detectives’ referral. The next expected step was a charging decision by Fri., Feb. 27, which would clarify whether the case proceeds as a second-degree murder prosecution and when the suspect would return to court.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 27, 2026.