Man sentenced to three life sentences for 2015 triple homicide of two adults and baby

Related Video: The Justice Files: A daughter’s anguish (December 2020)

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — After being convicted for the triple homicide of a woman, her 2-month-old granddaughter, and a male tenant, Alexander Hung Tran was sentenced to three life sentences in prison.

A jury found Tran guilty of three counts of aggravated murder on August 28, and according to court documents, on Friday, November 7, a judge sentenced him to three life sentences in prison without parole, to be served consecutively.

In 2015, Tran murdered Dakota Smith, Heike Poike, and Poike’s 2-month-old granddaughter. Charges were filed against Tran in October 2015, but he was found incompetent to stand trial by state medical personnel in December the following year. In December 2020, he was found competent to stand trial, but it took until 2025 for Tran to face a jury trial.

The case against Tran

In 2015, Tran was living in a Salt Lake City house purchased by his mother. On Sept. 14, 2015, Tran told her that a man, a woman, and two children were tenants in the upstairs portion of the home. The mother “indicated that she did not want other people in the house,” and Tran claimed that they would not leave. She replied that she would start the eviction process.

Days later, on Sept. 18, Tran called his mother and stated that the people were gone. That same day, Heike Poike would not pick up her grandson from school. A police welfare check was requested, and officers found Dakota Smith, Heike Poike, and Poike’s 2-month-old granddaughter deceased inside the home.

Tran was found in the basement of the residence and stated, “I’m putting down the gun.” Police recovered a .22 caliber handgun from him, and several spent casings matching the firearm were found upstairs.

According to the DA’s Office, Poike’s daughter and her two children moved in with Tran. Soon after, Heike Poike moved in to assist with childcare while her daughter worked. Tran reportedly showed a romantic interest in Poike’s daughter and began showing an “escalating obsession” soon after.

Tran told Poike’s daughter that he “wanted to marry her, have a child with her, and that she had saved his life by coming into his home.” Poike’s daughter was arrested and incarcerated soon after, but Tran continued his obsession.

On Oct. 1, 2015, the DA’s Office filed charges against Tran, but he was found incompetent to stand trial by state medical personnel in December 2016. Four years later, in December 2020, he was found competent to stand trial.

In 2022, the defense argued that police did not have the right to enter the home, which the judge denied, but the defense appealed to the Utah Supreme Court. The Utah Supreme Court sided with the judge, but another motion to suppress was filed, which was partially granted in February 2025.