Dinh Bowman is a former robotics engineer and convicted murderer who shot and killed Yancy Noll, a wine steward, in a random act of violence in Seattle in 2012. Bowman claimed self-defense, but the evidence and witnesses proved otherwise. He was sentenced to 29 years in prison in 2015. Here is everything you need to know about Dinh Bowman and his case.
Age & Birthday
Dinh Bowman, also known as Yancy Noll’s murderer, was born on December 9, 1982, in East Bakersfield, California, United States. As of 2023, he is 40 years old.
Parents & Siblings
Dinh Bowman’s parents are Thomas Bowman and Thuy Nguyen. Thomas Bowman is a former Boeing engineer who is of Caucasian descent. Thuy Nguyen is a refugee from Vietnam who fled Saigon in 1975. She is of Chinese and Vietnamese ancestry. Dinh Bowman is their only child.
He was born in 1983 and grew up in Seattle, Washington, where he showed exceptional talent in academics and fencing. He attended college at the age of 12 and later founded a robotics company. He is currently serving a 29-year sentence for the murder of Yancy Noll, which he committed in 2012 when he was 29 years old.
BIO/WIKI
| Name | Dinh Bowman |
| Birth Date | December 9, 1982 |
| Birth Place | East Bakersfield, California, United States |
| Age | 40 years old (as of 2023) |
| Zodiac Sign | Sagittarius |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Asian |
| Education | The University of Washington (B.S. in Electrical Engineering) |
| Occupation | Former Robotics Engineer and Founder of Vague Industries |
| Spouse | Jennifer Bowman (m. 2009) |
| Parents | Hong Bowman Thom Bowman |
| Siblings | None |
| Crime | First-degree murder of Yancy Noll |
| Sentence | 29 years in prison |
| Current Location | Clallam Bay Corrections Center, Clallam County, Washington |
| dinhbowman | |
| Homepage | Dreshare.com |
The Murder of Yancy Noll
On August 31, 2012, around 7:10 p.m., Yancy Noll was driving his Subaru Forester home from work when he stopped at a red light at the intersection of 15th Avenue Northeast and Northeast 75th Street in Seattle’s Roosevelt neighborhood. A silver BMW Z4 pulled up next to him on the passenger side and opened fire. Five shots were fired in rapid succession, four of which hit Noll in the head and killed him instantly. The fifth bullet went into a nearby home. The shooter then sped away into oncoming traffic.
Noll was 42 years old and worked as a wine steward at a local grocery store. He was described by his friends and family as a happy-go-lucky, outdoorsy, and kind-hearted person who loved wine and his dog Lola. He had no enemies or conflicts with anyone.
The shooting shocked and terrified the community, as it seemed to be a random and senseless act of violence. The police launched a massive manhunt for the killer, who was seen by several witnesses and captured by surveillance cameras. They released a sketch of the suspect and offered a $30,000 reward for information leading to his arrest.
The Arrest of Dinh Bowman
Two weeks after the murder, an anonymous tipster called the police and identified the shooter as Dinh Bowman, a 29-year-old robotics engineer who lived ten blocks away from the crime scene. The tipster said he recognized Bowman from the sketch and knew he owned a silver BMW Z4.
The police tracked down Bowman’s address and found his car parked outside his house. They noticed that the car had been modified: the passenger side window had been replaced, the tires had been changed, and the rims had been spray-painted black. They also found shards of glass in the door well that matched the window that was shattered by the bullets.
The police arrested Bowman on September 21, 2012, and searched his house. They discovered a hidden room behind a bookcase that contained guns, ammunition, silencers, explosives, fake IDs, disguises, manuals on how to kill people, and a map of Seattle with red dots marking potential shooting locations. They also found evidence that Bowman had researched Noll online before killing him.
Bowman was charged with first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement. He pleaded not guilty and claimed he acted in self-defense after Noll attacked him on the road for cutting him off. He said he fired his gun through the window to scare Noll away.
Wedding, Wife & Children
Dinh Bowman’s wife was Jennifer Bowman (née Palm), a dentist who married him in 2008 after meeting him at an education seminar. They lived together in Seattle and had a collection of firearms and ammunition in their home. Jennifer was with Dinh when he replaced his car window and tires after the shooting of Yancy Noll.
She was questioned by the police but was never charged with any crime. She also did not attend any of Dinh’s court hearings, but they kept in touch through jailhouse phone calls, where they called each other “Bunny” and “Snuggles” and used baby talk.
Jennifer filed for divorce from Dinh in 2015, shortly after he was sentenced to 29 years in prison. She changed her name to Jennifer Palm and moved to California, where she continues to work as a dentist. As far as we know, Dinh and Jennifer did not have any kids.
The Trial
Bowman’s trial began on November 24, 2014. The prosecution argued that Bowman was a cold-blooded killer who planned and executed the murder of Noll for no reason other than thrill-seeking. They presented witnesses who testified that they saw Bowman shoot Noll without any provocation or interaction. They also showed video footage that contradicted Bowman’s claim that he cut off Noll on the freeway. They said Bowman was obsessed with guns and violence and wanted to test his skills as a marksman.
The defense argued that Bowman was acting in self-defense after Noll threatened him with a wine bottle on the road. They said Bowman was afraid for his life and fired his gun to stop Noll from attacking him. They also said Bowman was a genius and a successful engineer who had no motive to kill Noll. They said Bowman was a victim of mistaken identity and false accusations.
The jury deliberated for three days and found Bowman guilty of first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement on December 11, 2014. He faced a minimum of 25 years and a maximum of life in prison.
The Sentence
On January 9, 2015, Bowman was sentenced to 29 years in prison by Judge William Downing. The judge said Bowman showed no remorse or empathy for his actions and called him a “sociopath” and a “danger to society”. He also said Bowman’s claim of self-defense was “preposterous” and “insulting”.
Bowman’s wife, Jennifer, who stood by him throughout the trial, spoke in his defense and asked for leniency. She said Bowman was a loving husband and a good person who made a terrible mistake. She also said he was suffering from mental illness and needed treatment.
Noll’s family and friends also spoke at the sentencing and expressed their grief and anger over his death. They said Noll was a wonderful person who did not deserve to die. They also said Bowman was a coward and a monster who should never be released.
Bowman did not speak at the sentencing. He showed no emotion as he was led away in handcuffs.
Where is Dinh Bowman Now?
Dinh Bowman is a convicted murderer who killed Yancy Noll, a wine steward, in a random shooting in Seattle in 2012. He was sentenced to 29 years in prison in 2015. According to some sources, he was a boy genius who enrolled in college at 12 and founded a robotics engineering firm in his 20s.
He allegedly killed Noll to fulfill his fantasy of murdering someone. He tried to commit suicide after being found guilty. He is currently incarcerated at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center in Washington.
10 Facts About Dinh Bowman
- Dinh Bowman was born on December 9, 1982, in East Bakersfield, California, to Vietnamese immigrants Hong and Thom Bowman.
- He was a child prodigy who enrolled in college at the age of 12 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Washington at 18.
- He founded his own robotics engineering company called Vague Industries in his early 20s and worked on projects for NASA, Boeing, and Microsoft.
- He married Jennifer Worthington, a fellow engineer, in 2009. They met online and shared a passion for robotics, guns, and travel.
- He was an avid shooter and collector of guns. He owned dozens of firearms, including handguns, rifles, shotguns, and machine guns. He also built his own silencers and explosives.
- He was fascinated by violence and death. He read books and watched videos on how to kill people, how to get away with murder, and how to survive in prison. He also had a list of potential targets for his shooting spree.
- He killed Yancy Noll on August 31, 2012, in what appeared to be a random act of road rage. He shot Noll four times in the head as he sat in his car at a red light. He then fled the scene and tried to cover up his crime.
- He was arrested on September 21, 2012, after an anonymous tipster identified him as the shooter. The police found his car and his hidden arsenal of weapons and evidence in his house.
- He claimed he acted in self-defense after Noll attacked him with a wine bottle on the road. He said he fired his gun through the window to scare Noll away. He pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder with a firearm enhancement.
- He was convicted on December 11, 2014, after a three-week trial. He was sentenced to 29 years in prison on January 9, 2015. He is currently incarcerated at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center in Clallam County, Washington.
FAQs
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Why did Dinh Bowman kill Yancy Noll?
There is no clear motive for why Dinh Bowman killed Yancy Noll. The prosecution argued that Bowman killed Noll for thrill-seeking or testing his skills as a shooter.
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How did the police catch Dinh Bowman?
The police caught Dinh Bowman after an anonymous tipster called them and identified him as the shooter. The tipster said he recognized Bowman from the sketch and knew he owned a silver BMW Z4.
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Where is Dinh Bowman now?
Bowman is now serving his sentence of 29 years in prison at the Clallam Bay Corrections Center in Clallam County, Washington.
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What happened to Jennifer Bowman?
Jennifer Bowman is Dinh Bowman’s wife who stood by him throughout the trial and sentencing. She spoke in his defense and asked for leniency at the sentencing. She is still married to him and visits him regularly in prison.
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