Police in Kampot province on Monday arrested a 32-year-old man suspected of hacking his brother-in-law to death earlier that morning in the belief that the victim was having an affair with his wife.
Chon Ratanak, 32, is accused of using a machete to kill his brother-in-law, Hen Hann, 56, in a jealous rage, said Seng Vuthy, Dang Tong district deputy police chief.
“[Mr. Ratanak] always drank, and when he did his wife would go sleep at Mr. Hann’s house.
The suspect killed the victim because he thought Mr. Hann was having a love affair with his wife,” Mr. Vuthy said.
The deputy police chief said Mr. Ratanak had gone looking for his wife at his brother-in-law’s house Monday morning.
“When the victim said his wife was not there, the suspect took a machete he found inside the house to chop him,” he continued.
“The victim ran about 100 meters and tripped. Mr. Ratanak chopped off his leg and struck him two times in the head until he died.” Mr. Vuthy said Mr. Ratanak threatened to burn his own house down when police arrived but was captured after officers entered through the back door.
Provincial penal police chief Kong Sokhan said police were on Monday preparing a document accusing the suspect of intentional murder, which would be sent to the provincial court Tuesday.
