Victim wanted to be a police officer

A woman who died from a gunshot wound to the head in February aspired to be a police officer someday, the Orange County district attorney’s office said.

Fountain Valley resident Philip Ngoc Nguyen, 25, has been charged in the death of Uyennie Ton.

Nguyen was scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday on charges of killing Ton, his fiancee, after arguing with her about his relationship with another woman, prosecutors said. His arraignment was continued to Oct. 28.

Nguyen proposed to Ton, his girlfriend of three years, and promised to end his relationship with the other woman, according to prosecutors.

But on Feb. 25, he and Ton argued after he invited the other woman to his family’s trailer, where he lived with his parents, prosecutors said.

Nguyen then allegedly shot Ton in the head, killing her.

His mother, who awoke to the sound of the gunshot, reported that Ton had committed suicide, according to prosecutors.

The Fountain Valley Police Department determined that suicide was impossible, based on Ton’s injuries. It took months to determine how Ton died, Senior Deputy District Attorney Sonia Balleste said.

Nguyen was arrested Thursday, she said.

Ton was a target-practice fan, according to Balleste. She practiced the sport with her father for many years. Nguyen, who was unemployed, also practiced the sport, but not as much as Ton.

Ton once gave him a gun as a gift, but Balleste said she’s not certain it was the one he used in Ton’s death.

Nguyen is charged with one felony count of murder with a sentencing enhancement for using a firearm and using it to kill.

He faces a maximum sentence of 50 years to life in prison if convicted. Nguyen is being held on $1-million bail.

mona.shadia@latimes.com

Twitter: @MonaShadia