San Jose fugitive who fled to Las Vegas nabbed, victim identified

(KRON) — A fugitive who allegedly fled to Las Vegas after a fatal shooting in San Jose is now behind bars. After spending 10 months on the run, homicide suspect Lam Thanh Mac was found and arrested, according to the San Jose Police Department.

Mac made his first court appearance in the Santa Clara County Hall of Justice Tuesday. A judge denied granting bail.

The 39-year-old San Jose man is charged with murdering Khoa Dang Dang on August 11, 2024 inside a business on McLaughlin Avenue, according to court documents.

Multiple people called 911 to report a shooting at the business, and SJPD officers arrived just after 3 a.m. The gunman slipped away.

“Detectives learned the suspect had immediately left the area after the incident and was believed to have fled to the greater Las Vegas Metropolitan area of Nevada,” SJPD Sgt. Jorge Garibay wrote.

Investigators later discovered that Mac traveled back to the Bay Area. On June 19, members of the San Jose Police Department’s MERGE Unit, Covert Response Unit, and the entire Special Operations Division assisted in taking the suspect into custody at a residence in San Jose.

Garibay wrote, “Thanks to the vigilance of our community and the widespread attention this case received through social media and news agencies, critical information was brought forward that led to a significant break in the case. We are deeply grateful to everyone who shared information, kept this case in the public eye, and supported the search for justice.”

Mac has a violent criminal history, and he was previously convicted of voluntary manslaughter, court records show.