The bodies of a married couple in Prey Veng province were found with their eyes gouged out on Sunday, victims of a brutal murder police yesterday labelled “spite-driven”.

The couple were stabbed to death by an unknown suspect on Sunday as they were out picking snails in a rice paddy in Prey Pdav village, according to Kanh Chriech district acting police chief Ny Sarann.

“After examining the bodies, we found that the husband, Mean Yorng, 43, was stabbed in both eyes and ears. His wife, Kak Bunthan, 48, was stabbed in both eyes and struck in her mouth,” he said, adding that clues have led authorities to believe “it is primarily a spite-driven case”.

Kanh Chriech commune police chief Pon Samoun said yesterday that the victims often extended help to other villagers, and to his knowledge had never been embroiled in any form of conflict with them.

“At least five people were questioned yesterday, but none of them were involved in the case,” he said, adding that he did not rule out the possibility that Bunthan had been stabbed only after having been beaten to death.

Yem Sarim, a cousin of Bunthan, yesterday said the murder came as a shock as Yorng was a “polite and friendly man”, well-regarded by other villagers.

“At this time, I can only appeal to the authorities to intervene and search for the suspect, and bring the suspect to justice, because [the victims] were murdered savagely,” said Sarim.

“Our authorities promise to find and bring the killer to court,” Samoun said.