Texas Appeals Court Upholds Conviction of Man Who Killed Wife and Tried to Collect Life Insurance Benefits 

Rusty Hardin & Associates partner Megan C. Moore was mentioned by name in an opinion from the Court of Appeals for the First District of Texas, which upheld the murder conviction of Itani Losangel Milleni.  

Milleni’s legal name was Trang Vu at the time his wife was found bludgeoned to death at her beauty salon in 2015. He had his name legally changed three months after the crime was committed.   

Ms. Moore secured life insurance benefits for the couple’s two minor children in March 2019 after their father attempted to collect those benefits at the expense of his children whom he abandoned to foster care. Ms. Moore and attorney William Belk, a former homicide detective, successfully argued the benefits should go to the children, as the father made inconsistent and ultimately incriminating statements during the proceedings about his wife’s death.  

Milleni’s statements during the civil case also helped lead to his arrest on murder charges. He was convicted and sentenced to 55 years in prison in late 2022. 

“We were pleased to have helped give those children some measure of justice after such a horrific experience,” said Ms. Moore. “I’m glad the appeals court decided to allow the lower court’s ruling to stand and that the man responsible for their mother’s death will remain behind bars.” 

The life insurance case was P.T., a minor, and D.T., a minor v. Itani Milleni, f/k/a Trang Vu; Case No. 17-cv-2818 in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division. 

The memorandum opinion is Itani Losangel Milleni v. The State of Texas on Appeal from 339th District Court of Harris County, Texas, Case No.1628261.