Siem Reap province

THREE women were murdered in their home in Siem Reap province yesterday morning, with police claiming one of the women was raped before she was killed.

Siem Reap town Police Chief Thoeung Chantharith said Eng Ly, 70, Eng Mouygech, 60, and Oak Sreyneang, 20, all from Wat Svay village in Sala Kamroeuk commune, were killed when their throats were cut with a cleaver.

Oak Sreyneang was raped before she was killed, he added, in what appeared to be a brutal robbery.

“We are working to find the perpetrators and bring them to justice,” he said.

“It is the most cruel murder I have seen since I became a police chief over 10 years ago”.

Pat Chansok, a Siem Reap provincial police officer, said the only evidence that remained inside the house was the murder weapon and initial investigations suggest that there may have been more than one person responsible.

Police were informed about the killings at around 6am yesterday, when an ice seller stumbled upon the grisly scene.

“He went to the house to bring ice, because [the] family sells groceries,” Pat Chansok said. “Then when he came inside the house he saw blood and the bodies of the three women.”

35-year-old Pheng Touch, son of the deceased Eng Ly, said it was “very cruel” what had happened to his family, which he said never had any problems with anyone.

Yin Mao, Siem Reap provincial coordinator for rights group Adhoc, said that last year saw a similar case in Siem Reap involving an 8-year-old child.

“We hope to help the bereaved family and to work with police to arrest the perpetrator and bring them to court,” he said.