In a shift from their initial suspicions, police now believe that a 30-year-old Kampot town mother was stabbed to death by a co-worker on Monday.

Police arrested Krech Theuorn, 31, yesterday in connection with the murder of Sieng Channak, whose blood-soaked body was discovered by her 10-year-old son after she was stabbed 17 times with a vegetable knife, deputy Kampot police chief Moa Chan Makthurith said.

“The suspect said she killed the victim because of an ongoing dispute in the workplace,” he said, adding that Theuorn worked at the same karaoke bar as Channak.

Police initially suspected that one of Channak’s husband’s two previous wives had killed her.

On Monday, neighbours reported to police that they saw a masked woman get off a motorbike taxi and enter Channak’s home before they heard screams.

While police were looking for her yesterday, Theuorn attempted suicide using pills, Chan Makthurith said. Police found the suspect and took her to hospital.