Revenge suspected as motive in killing of boy and grandparents

via Khmer NZ News Media

Thursday, 17 June 2010 15:02 May Titthara

THE bodies of an 8-year-old boy and his two maternal grandparents were found Tuesday morning in Kampong Speu province’s Oudong district, in what police suspect is a “revenge killing”.

Khem Samon, the police chief in Oudong district, identified the victims as Vong Heng, 60; his 55-year-old wife, Sorn Srey; and Beng Theang, their 8-year-old grandson.

Beng Theang’s parents, he said, were working at their garment factory jobs in Oudong district at the time of the killing, and his sister lives and works in Phnom Penh.

“We are still investigating this case, but it doesn’t look like it was related to robbery because the perpetrators did not steal any valuable property or money or a motorbike,” Khem Samon said.

“We suspect that this is a revenge killing, but we cannot tell you the names of the suspected perpetrators. We need to conduct more research.”

San Mean, who lives in the same village as the family, said he saw two men visit the family home on Monday night.

He said one of them had previously asked to marry Beng Theang’s older sister but was rejected by her parents.

Sam Mean said he discovered the three bodies the following morning.

“We saw Vong Heng, who was dead and covered in blood on the bed under his house. His wife and grandson were in the house,” he said. “Then we reported the case to local police.”

Sem Chausok, a provincial monitor for the rights group Licadho, said he had travelled to the village to investigate the case.

But he added that he did not have enough information to speculate about a possible motive for the killings.