An Oregon man will spend the next 20 years in prison for killing his wife just weeks after they married. Talon Gabriel Mitchell, now 23, shot and killed Oulaykham Mona Chopheng on February 23, 2023, at their apartment in Beaverton. Police found Chopheng dead from a gunshot wound to the head. Mitchell frantically texted Washington County Dispatch for help the night of the killing. When he finally spoke to police, he had a strange story that involved a bad LSD trip. After initially pleading not guilty, he recently changed his plea to guilty, and a judge convicted him of manslaughter in his young wife’s death.
Mitchell reportedly reached out to police the night his wife died.
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Mitchell was only 19 years old when he shot and killed Chopheng. That night, he reportedly texted 911 with strange messages. Court documents obtained by KOIN show that Mitchell wanted help. “Help, HELP, IM STUCK IN A DREAM, INSANITY, HELP ME, I’m being controlled,” he texted. “Help me please.”
He thought it was all a bad dream.
According to court documents, Mitchell told police he’d taken LSD earlier in the day and blacked out, KOIN reported. He had no memory of shooting his wife. When he awoke, he began texting 911 because he thought it was all a bad dream. He feared a zombie apocalypse, and he thought someone was trying to break in.
Jeff MacLean, senior deputy district attorney of Washington County, told People the text came in around 10 p.m.
“It was kind of a confusing text message about essentially needing help or something like that, and talking about being in a dream state. Police officers showed up, and they were outside his door for about 40 minutes,” MacLean said. “They ended up basically conducting what I call a welfare check because they could hear him, hear a dog from time to time, but he wasn’t opening the door. So, officers eventually ended up going in because they had concerns.”
Mitchell admitted he was the only one who could have shot his wife.
The husband told police no one else had entered their home that day besides him and Chopheng. He also admitted to having an AR-15 and a shotgun in the house. Mitchell recently changed his plea to guilty to avoid his March 31, 2026, trial, per KOIN. A judge sentenced him to 20 years for the manslaughter conviction and 16 months for unlawful use of a weapon. He also must pay restitution, $123,000, to his wife’s family, People reported.
Before Chopheng’s death, the couple appeared happy.
We know social media isn’t the best gauge of real life, but this couple seemed happy and in love. Chopheng posted romantic photos with Mitchell and chronicled their first trip together. Just days before her death, she dedicated a Facebook post to her husband.
“Speechless writing this caption! I just wanna say im so lucky to have you in my life, We have been through so much together so far, our life just begins, the journey is always coming everyday we got this!” she wrote. “You make me realize that how worthy i am to see you first every morning and see you the last person before bed We will growth and glow together.”
Sadly, those dreams never came true. This is another story of drugs destroying an innocent life. No one ever wins in these situations.
