Three children and a 45-year-old woman were found slain Thursday morning at the house of an RCAF colonel in Phnom Penh’s Russei Keo district, police said.
Sann Meng, 23, slit the throats of his three young cousins and their servant after he slipped into his uncle’s house armed with a cleaver and a pestle, Russey Keo district police chief said Ly Lay said. He also said that Sann Meng aimed to kill the servant brought in to replace a woman with whom he allegedly was having an affair.
“Sann Meng killed the servant, identified as Horn, in the bath-room,” Ly Lay said. “The victim screamed for help and the young boys went to see what happened and the offender caught them, too.”
Sann Meng then slit the throats of Mao Coka, 4, and Mao Comak, 8, and broke the neck of Mao Coman, 10, who had just come home from school, Ly Lay said.
He also critically injured children’s mother, Ke Vanny, and slightly injured their sister Mao Nory, 13, who escaped, Ly Lay said.
Sann Meng was a monk for six years in Kompong Cham before moving to Phnom Penh to work as a mechanic in Daun Penh district, Ly Lay said.
He frequently visited his aunt and uncle’s house in Tropeng Chhuk village, Tuk Thla commune, and confessed to police that he fell in love with a servant named Pha.
Two weeks ago, Ke Vanny and her husband, Colonel Mao Seng, dismissed the servant, who returned to her home in Kompong Cham.
Sann Meng told police he was angry at his aunt and uncle for firing Pha. He watched the house for three days, waiting for an opportunity to kill the new servant, Ly Lay said.
Sann Meng was arrested approximately 20 minutes after the attack and is in the custody of Russei Keo district police.
Sann Meng has a history of mental instability and drug abuse, Tuk Thla commune chief Tann Naven said.
