Authorities in Preah Vihear province are searching for a man who hacked his neighbor to death during a logging excursion near their village on Monday, officials said yesterday.
The suspect, Kong Nia, 40, had been illegally logging in Tbeng Meanchey district’s Brameru commune with his 16-year-old son, his neighbor Dol Khom, 27, and another neighbor, according to Chu Bunsong, chief of staff of the provincial military police.
At about 11 p.m. on Monday, Mr. Nia attacked Dol Khom with an ax as the victim slept in a hammock, Mr. Bunsong said.
“The victim was hacked one time on his head and two times on his right shoulder,” he said, adding that Mr. Nia then fled the scene.
But according to district police chief Saing Vandy, Mr. Nia’s teenage son told investigators that his father had appeared possessed before the murder.
“He said he did not know what was wrong with him, but he said it looked like a spirit had gotten inside his father’s body,” he said.
