A murder suspect is on the run after allegedly shooting his niece several times yesterday with an assault rifle, after what authorities are calling a dispute regarding a land deal between the two in Kampong Cham’s Stung Trang district.

District police chief Chea Thearith said the 38-year-old victim, Noy Limseng, along with a family friend, had visited her uncle’s home in Dang Kdar commune to collect the final payment for a plot of land he was purchasing from her.

After he paid her the money, tensions flared and the victim tried to escape the scene, but her uncle, In Chan, allegedly shot her in the head, chest and arm, killing her, before taking back the US$3,000 he had paid to the victim.

He then fled the scene.

“She was murdered by her uncle. She was shot dead while she was trying to run from the road into the forest,” the police chief said, adding that her 21-year-old family friend, who was on her motorbike, managed to flee from the scene uninjured.

After the shooting, police arrested In Chan’s older brother at the scene and said he would be detained for questioning.

“Police are working hard to arrest the killer,” the police chief said.

Sok Kim, a Stung Trang district police officer, told the Post yesterday that the victim shot his niece as a result of land deal between the two that angered him.

He said In Chan sold nine hectares of land in the Chrey Hay village to his niece Noy Limseng in 2010 for the price of US$600 per hectare.

Then earlier this month, In Chan asked to buy the land back from her.

She agreed, but at a price of US$1,400 per hectare.

He added that In Chan accepted this price and paid her the last US$3,000 he owed her for the land yesterday before he murdered her, took the money back and fled the scene.

“The victim was murdered after she received the final payment for the land from the killer [In Chan],” the police officer said.

The family of the victim could not be reached for comment yesterday.

To contact the reporter on this story: Buth Reaksmey Kongkea at [email protected]