Kaw Tung, right, sits with Defense Attorney Jennifer France, left, in the Delta County 47th Circuit Court during his arraignment Wednesday. Tung pleaded no contest to one count of homicide - murder in the second degree. (Sophie Vogelmann/Daily Press photo)

ESCANABA — A man who stabbed and killed a co-worker Aug. 13 has pleaded no contest to one count of homicide – murder in the second degree in the Delta County 47th Circuit Court.

Kaw Tung, 38, was taken to court Wednesday from the Delta County Jail for arraignment. His attorney, Jennifer France, along with Delta County Prosecutor Lauren Wickman appeared before Judge John Economopoulos.

In exchange for Tung’s no contest plea, prosecution agreed to drop one count of homicide – open murder. The offense is punishable by life in prison or any term of years. His sentencing is scheduled for May 5.

In the early hours of Aug. 13, Escanaba Public Safety officers were dispatched to reports of a possible stabbing at 315 N. 12th St. in Escanaba.

Upon arrival, officers found a male on the floor with no pulse. Paramedics arrived and attempted life-saving measures but were unable to revive the man, identified in court documents as Steven Thang. During an autopsy Aug. 15 at the Western Michigan University School of Medicine, a pathologist identified a stab wound to the chest and abdomen that was determined to be the cause of death. The manner of death was ruled as homicide.

EPS officers who searched the residence Aug. 13 found a kitchen-style knife with a white handle in a garbage can.

During a canvas of the neighborhood, officers located video footage showing an orange Jeep that had left the residence shortly before police had been dispatched.

Law enforcement determined Thang called a friend and reported his coworker had stabbed him.

Detectives also located a phone number for Tung, and a ping was conducted for the phone which showed the phone traveling south towards Milwaukee.

Law enforcement in Wisconsin later conducted a traffic stop on an orange Jeep consistent with the phone’s ping, and they identified the driver as Tung. He was found to have a wallet belonging to Thang. According to EPS, Tung was taken into custody in Wisconsin without incident.

Online court records indicate Tung made an initial appearance Aug. 15 in Waukesha County in Wisconsin. Tung agreed to speak to EPS detectives and was picked up on Aug. 18 after waiving extradition.

Tung told detectives that on Aug. 12, he and Thang got into an argument because Tung did not believe Thang was paying him correctly. Tung noted the argument did not get physical.

According to Tung, Thang had sent him a video that showed people killing other people.

“The victim referenced towards the defendant ‘if he wanted to be that,’ which the defendant took as Steven wanting to kill the defendant,” Wickman said.

Tung went to his room to go to sleep and woke up on Aug. 13 at 4 a.m. to get ready to go to work. According to Wickman’s statements in court, Thang was still asleep at that time.

As Tung began to get ready for work, he claims he began to think about the argument from the previous night and got increasingly more upset as he thought about it.

According to Tung, he then went to the kitchen and took a knife that he described as a chef’s knife with a white handle. He proceeded to Thang’s bedroom and saw him asleep on his back on the bed.

Tung told detectives he then tried to kill Thang, stabbing him in the stomach area. According to Tung, Thang woke up and pushed him out of the room. Tung then dropped the knife and left the residence in the Jeep.

A probation agent will now interview Tung at the jail to compile a report that will be used at his sentencing.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.