By Duc Trung  October 12, 2025 | 09:38 pm PT
A Vietnamese-American family of four were found dead inside their San Francisco home last week, after reportedly struggling with severe financial troubles and a looming home foreclosure.
The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office identified the deceased as 57-year-old Thomas Ocheltree, his wife, 52-year-old Paula Truong, and their two daughters, aged 12 and 9, SF Gate reported.
Truong had emigrated from Vietnam and married Ocheltree in 2006.
Police said the case is being treated as “suspicious,” though it has not yet been classified as a homicide.
Ocheltree’s brother, who had not heard from the family for several days, discovered the bodies on Oct. 8. He found Ocheltree and the two girls dead in bed with unusual signs, including foam coming from their mouths, while Truong was found hanging in the garage, SF Chronicle reported. Toxicology tests are underway to determine the cause of death.
City records show the couple bought their three-bedroom home for nearly $1.14 million, with Truong listed as the main owner. But over time, the family fell into deep debt. In February 2024, the city warned that the property would be foreclosed after they defaulted on a $2.24 million loan taken in 2022. The house was auctioned off for over $2 million on Oct. 31, 2024.
Truong also faced personal financial strain. She was sued by Discover Bank in January for nearly $17,700 in unpaid credit card debt, and a court later ordered her to pay over $18,000.
The couple owned several small businesses, including Orbit Coffee, once operating two cafes in Oakland and one in San Jose, but the shops are now listed on Google as “temporarily closed.”
Ocheltree was also involved in ventures such as Zentrum Motors, an auto repair shop still running, and a design firm specializing in alcohol branding.