Choosing a place to live is a difficult decision because many factors must be considered, such as how safe the area is, its proximity to establishments, and, if you have children, its closeness to schools.

These things were of utmost importance to the couple Evangeline and Daniel Bascos.

According to reports, both were Filipino. Like many Filipinos, they wished to leave the Philippines for a better future.

When Daniel arrived in America, he chose to reside in California. This was not only due to the pleasant climate but also because of the large Filipino community in that state.

For him, it would be easier to adjust if he were surrounded by his countrymen. Daniel was not picky about work, and although it was difficult to balance studies and work, he endured the temporary hardship.

He knew his life would improve if he acquired more education. After Daniel graduated from Foothill-De Anza Community College District, he immediately resigned from his job and ventured into a different field.

Daniel was hired as a manufacturing technician at Intel, based in Santa Clara, California, due to his good attitude and eagerness to learn.

His family in the Philippines was happy because he was earning a good salary. Later, not only his professional life thrived.

According to reports, Daniel worked even harder to build a beautiful life when he met a Filipina named Evangeline. Their relationship eventually led to marriage.

Because Daniel had prepared thoroughly for starting his own family, they had an easy time beginning their life together.

Although the cost of living, especially house prices, was high in Milpitas, the couple believed the location was perfect. They felt that if they had children, they would have no difficulty adjusting due to the beautiful environment.

Another reason they chose Milpitas was the abundant opportunities that could help their children have a good life. After moving there, the couple both worked to prepare financially for a family.

The Arrival of Danika

However, the couple did not conceive immediately. Though sad, as Christians, they prayed fervently for a child.

Despite their sadness, they did not let it affect them much. Instead, they focused even more on their work.

Then, in 1994, they joyfully shared the news with their respective families in the Philippines that Evangeline was pregnant.

Daniel was overflowing with happiness and worked even harder because his wife had to stop working due to a delicate pregnancy.

After nine months, with the help of doctors at Washington Hospital in Fremont, Evangeline gave birth to a baby girl on March 24, 1995, whom they named Danika.

With the help of some relatives living nearby, Evangeline adjusted well to being a first-time mother. Their presence also helped Evangeline feel less lonely.

Overall, the couple adjusted well, and time passed quickly. However, due to a change in Daniel’s job, they had to move to a different house in 1996.

When she was ready to go to school, Danika reportedly attended Marshall Pomeroy Elementary School, the same school her cousins attended.

When Evangeline saw that her daughter loved dancing and music, she enrolled her in ballet lessons when she was only seven years old, and Danika began learning to play the piano at age eight.

Danika was described as shy but spontaneous, someone you could ask to go out with quickly. In fact, she surprised her relatives when, in senior high, she became part of the dance group at Milpitas High School.

The Bascos couple also ensured that even though she was born and raised in America, Danika would be familiar with Filipino culture.

To ensure she knew her other relatives in the Philippines, they always returned to Evangeline’s province in Ilocos every December.

There, Danika experienced how different Christmas and New Year celebrations were in the Philippines. Seeing how happy their only daughter was, Daniel and Evangeline decided to go home every December.

Daniel and Evangeline were happy because they had raised her well. Although her life was more comfortable than that of her cousins and relatives in the Philippines, Danika grew up understanding that their comfortable life in America was due to her parents’ hard work.

Even while she was still in high school, Danika, wanting to be responsible and experience life outside her parents’ care, willingly sought a job, even though Daniel could easily afford her education.

Evangeline and Daniel were proud when Danika was hired at Forever 21. Even as a working student, she did not neglect her grades.

She still made time to bond with her cousins in Milpitas and ensured she also bonded with her mother. One of Evangeline’s favorite experiences with her daughter was their simple trips to the salon.

Sometimes, just watching her favorite team on television was enough for her. When she graduated from high school, Danika knew she wanted to be a nurse.

This was not only because it was a common profession for Filipinos but because helping others came naturally to her.

On social media, you could see that Danika was just like any other young woman coming of age. In one post, she shared her dream car and the house she hoped to build in the Philippines.

People often described Danika as a perfect daughter because she was never involved in any trouble. As a gift, Daniel and Evangeline agreed to grant whatever she wished for her 19th birthday.

They wanted to make the most of the time Danika still wanted to bond with them. When the young woman said she wanted to go to Las Vegas and Disneyland, they could not refuse, as they had not been back to those places in a long time.

But those plans would never materialize because the eighteen-year-old was tragically reported to be the victim of a violent crime.

The Crime and Initial Accusations

According to the report, at 3:59 PM on October 5, Danika’s aunt, who was at the Bascos’ house, called 911 after Daniel instructed her to.

The police report stated that when Daniel returned home from work, he found his daughter unconscious and bloody in her room.

He attempted life-saving measures such as CPR while waiting for emergency services to arrive. However, despite his best efforts, he failed to revive Danika.

When the medics arrived, they could do nothing, as Danika’s body was already cold. Daniel became emotional when his only daughter was pronounced dead.

He could not believe she had died in their own home, which was supposed to be a safe place for every family member.

Two police officers who were first at the crime scene testified that when they arrived at the Bascos’ house, the victim was on her bed.

When they lifted Danika’s clothes, they realized she might have died from stab wounds. To be sure, they immediately sent her body for an expert examination.

The autopsy report confirmed that Danika died from numerous stab wounds. Upon the release of this information, authorities immediately opened a homicide case and began their investigation quietly.

While waiting for updates, the Bascos family, though still in shock, emotionally prepared the details for the victim’s wake and burial.

Messages of condolence poured in from Danika’s friends, classmates, and co-workers. Due to the heavy burden Daniel was facing, one of their relatives started a GoFundMe page to help with the expenses.

However, because the crime occurred inside the Bascos’ house, some people on social media couldn’t help but accuse the father, Daniel, himself.

In their accusations, they claimed he might have been doing something unspeakable and disgusting to his own daughter. Their theory suggested he might have been sexually abusing Danika.

According to this theory, after months of silence, the eighteen-year-old found the courage and threatened her father to report him. To prevent his good reputation from being ruined, Daniel allegedly killed his own daughter.

When this theory spread, the Bascos family was saddened and angered by the malicious accusations. Others speculated that Danika, despite being a shy young woman, might have been targeted by bad people who disliked Filipinos.

They suggested she might have been a victim of a hate crime. However, Danika’s friends did not believe anyone would try to harm her because the victim was genuinely kind.

They especially did not believe her father, Daniel, was the killer, as Daniel’s world had revolved around Danika since her birth, and he treated her like a princess.

The Truth and The Trial

Their suspicions were correct. When investigators were interviewed, they stated they already had a person of interest believed to be involved in the murder.

They also clarified that they never investigated Daniel because the malicious information circulating was false. In that interview, Daniel called for justice for his daughter, expressing gratitude for the full support of their friends and relatives.

Less than a week later, the family’s prayers were answered when a man was arrested and named as the suspect.

The suspect was identified as Kevin Van Nguyen, 26, residing in San Jose, California. Like Danika, he came from a large family, originally from Vietnam.

According to the report, he became a person of interest due to security footage provided by Daniel’s neighbor.

The CCTV footage showed Kevin entering and leaving the Bascos’ home on the afternoon the crime occurred.

The police immediately went to his address, but Kevin hid in his closet instead of facing them. The authorities thought he might resist, but after only a few minutes, Kevin surrendered willingly.

He was quickly taken to the precinct. While preparing the case against him, the authorities wasted no time and searched the suspect’s house.

There, their suspicion that Kevin was the killer grew stronger. In his room, they found a blood-stained sweatshirt, two knives suspected to have been used by Kevin, a pair of gloves, a cellphone, and other items that could serve as evidence against him.

When Kevin’s arraignment took place in October, almost all of the Bascos family members showed their support.

The defendant pleaded not guilty. Daniel and Evangeline were shocked that he had the audacity to ask the judge to allow him bail while awaiting trial.

They were immensely pleased when the judge sided with them and denied Kevin bail.

At the arraignment, the public learned he faced charges of murder and two counts of battery. The trial was almost derailed because Kevin’s camp attempted to claim he was mentally unfit when he committed the crime.

Fortunately, psychologists evaluated his condition and confirmed the defendant was fit for trial, meaning he was capable of facing and understanding the court proceedings.

As expected, when the mental health tactic failed, the defense attorney attempted victim-blaming by trying to destroy Danika’s character and blame her for her fate.

Kevin’s attorney claimed Danika was not the “good girl” the Bascos family described.

Family members of Kevin came forward, supporting him and claiming that when Kevin said Danika was promiscuous, they believed him one hundred percent because, to them, their relative was kind and had never been involved in any trouble.

Kevin’s lawyer portrayed him as an outstanding US citizen with no history of even a traffic ticket. His parents and some relatives also appeared in court to defend Kevin.

They all claimed that what happened on October 5 was just an accident. The young man, who had never done anything wrong, said he lost control because he allegedly caught the victim cheating.

Kevin’s camp was trying to imply that Danika was unfaithful and had a secret boyfriend besides him. Even when Kevin took the stand, he claimed the “perfect daughter” Danika was trouble, adding that she was supposedly not content with just one man.

He remorsefully told the jury that he regretted his actions but added that he would not have done it if Danika had only been faithful.

However, the victim’s family refused to let the defense destroy her reputation. One of her best friends testified in court, urging the jury not to believe Kevin’s lies because the truth was, the two had already broken up.

The reason Danika left him was his controlling behavior. Danika felt suffocated because she realized she needed his permission for every aspect of her life.

It was revealed that Kevin was extremely jealous, constantly worrying that Danika would find a new boyfriend who was better looking or more physically fit than him.

Kevin’s insecurities were the reason Danika needed permission for her every move, even the people she wanted to talk to or spend time with.

At first, the young woman was happy, thinking it was just her boyfriend’s way of showing affection. However, Danika soon realized that his controlling behavior was a major red flag in a toxic relationship.

She ended the relationship before it could worsen. Using the victim’s cell phone data, investigators proved that there was nothing going on between Danika and Kevin when the crime occurred.

In fact, the victim was already in a new relationship with a man named John Souza. When Kevin found out, Danika’s friends said he had no reaction, so the victim continued her studies and work.

However, after a month, Kevin incessantly contacted Danika, seeking reconciliation. But the victim was determined to move on and continue her relationship with John.

Her decision enraged the suspect. Weeks before the crime, he suddenly showed up at Danika’s house. Catching the victim with her new boyfriend, Kevin punched John.

The fight ended quickly, but to prevent further harassment, they filed a restraining order against Kevin.

Before the court order could be approved, the enraged suspect refused to let Danika go.

Using the security footage, investigators pieced together what truly happened on October 5. Police determined that the incident was not an accident where the suspect simply lost control.

The mall security footage proved he meticulously planned everything. The footage showed the perpetrator buying gloves.

He went to the Bascos’ house and waited for the victim’s parents to leave. Once he was sure Danika was alone, he contacted her and forced her to let him inside the house.

The chat logs proved Kevin acted kindly, making it seem like their conversation would only revolve around getting “closure.”

However, once inside, he secretly took another knife from the kitchen. When their conversation began, instead of closure, Kevin pressured Danika to leave her current boyfriend, John, and get back together with him.

Despite his insistence, the victim refused. When Danika refused to talk further, she walked out and headed toward her room.

Unbeknownst to her, the furious Kevin followed her. Holding two knives, he stabbed her repeatedly.

The victim managed to reach her room but could not fight back due to the severity of her wounds.

Kevin was found guilty, and because of the brutality of his act, the judge decided that for public safety, Kevin deserved to be imprisoned for life.

As of this recording, the whereabouts of Daniel and Evangeline Bascos are unknown. Still, in a previous interview, they shared their desire to retire in the Philippines.