Kandal police arrested a suspect on Monday for a June 11 killing in Ampil Dam Teuk village in Ponhea Leu district.

Provincial deputy police chief Roeun Nara on Monday identified the suspect as a 33-year-old construction worker and resident of Slakram commune’s Thlok Andong village in Siem Reap province.

The police questioned him and took him to court. “There are other suspects and we are investigating further,” he said.

Ponhea Leu district police chief Penh Vuthy said on Monday that the victim’s family gave information to the police, which led to the arrest.

The victim and suspect are Siem Reap natives and they had worked as construction workers in Ponhea Leu District. On the night of June 11, three of the victim’s companions had given him money to buy food, but he had instead bought beer.

Vuthy said a verbal conflict ensued. The suspect took a crowbar and a spade and attacked the victim, wounding him severely.

“They beat the victim and took him to other locations and shovelled sand on him to hide blood stains and cover up evidence. They then escaped,” Vuthy said.

He said at the time, the victim was still alive. The next morning, a construction site owner reported the case to the police and they took the victim to the Ponhea Leu district referral hospital.

The victim was in critical condition when his family attempted to take him to Siem Reap. He died along the way.