Miami-Dade judge imposes life sentence in 2013 nail salon robbery killing of 10-year-old

Life sentence ends death-penalty pursuit in long-running Miami-Dade murder case

A Miami-Dade circuit judge on March 10, 2026 sentenced Anthawn Ragan, 31, to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the 2013 killing of 10-year-old Aaron Vu during an armed robbery at the boy’s family nail salon in northwest Miami-Dade.

The ruling concluded the penalty phase that followed Ragan’s January 29, 2026 guilty plea to multiple felony charges tied to the Nov. 22, 2013 robbery and shooting. The case centered on the death of Aaron Vu and the shooting of his father, Hai Vu, who survived.

The 2013 robbery and shootings

Investigators said two armed men entered the nail salon on Northwest Seventh Avenue and demanded cash. During the encounter, gunfire struck both the child and his father. Aaron Vu was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital, while his father survived the shooting.

Authorities said the incident occurred inside a business operated by the family, turning what began as a robbery into a homicide and attempted homicide investigation that remained active for years as the case proceeded through the courts.

How the sentence was decided

After the guilty plea, the case moved to a penalty phase in which the court weighed whether the punishment would be death or life imprisonment without parole. Ragan waived a sentencing jury, leaving the decision to the judge.

During the penalty proceedings, the court heard testimony from witnesses and expert evaluations. Prosecutors argued the evidence supported a death sentence. The defense urged the court to impose life imprisonment, presenting mitigation related to the defendant’s cognitive limitations and personal history.

The court’s March 10 decision imposed life without parole, eliminating a death sentence in the case.

Broader case context and related convictions

The nail salon killing was not the only 2013 homicide linked to Ragan. Court proceedings in Miami-Dade previously resulted in a separate life sentence for a different 2013 murder, meaning he was already serving a life term before the March 10 sentencing in the Aaron Vu case.

The March 10 ruling ensures Ragan will remain in state prison for life, without eligibility for parole, based on the conviction for Aaron Vu’s murder.

Key facts at a glance

• Victim: Aaron Vu, 10, killed Nov. 22, 2013 during a nail salon robbery in northwest Miami-Dade.
• Defendant: Anthawn Ragan, 31, pleaded guilty Jan. 29, 2026 to charges including first-degree murder.
• Sentence: Life in prison without the possibility of parole, imposed March 10, 2026.
• Additional harm: Aaron Vu’s father, Hai Vu, was shot and survived.