A man police had intended to question over an attempted murder committed suicide yesterday, while another man was questioned and released, police said.

Lim Sophal, acting police chief in Sa’ang district, said Ny Vy, 25, was found dead behind his home in Kraing Yov commune about 6am yesterday after taking his own life.

Police had wanted to question Ny Vy over an attack on 64-year-old Cambodian-Australian man Prak Sitha, who was hacked in the neck with a scythe near his home in Sa’ang district about 10:30pm on Sunday, Lim Sophal said.

“We wanted to ask him about the attempted killing, but now he has committed suicide,” he said.

Lim Sophal said police had released another man after questioning and that he and Ny Vy were only “suspects”.

He said witnesses had reported seeing the two men drinking near the victim’s house on the night of incident, adding that police had found clothes that witnesses said the suspects had worn.

“We did not have enough proof yet because the suspect denied [owning this property],” he said. “Therefore, we released him.”