Police arrested a man on Monday morning after he allegedly stabbed his pregnant “second wife” to death on a Siem Reap street the night before.
Construction worker Sun Tuek, 36, was arrested at 5:30am after he fled into the jungle following the alleged stabbing murder of his partner, Pak Chhean, 36, at around 8:30pm on Sunday night.
Chhean, a construction worker from Kampong Thom, was four months pregnant with Tuek’s child and has two children from a previous marriage.
The killing followed the revelation that Tuek already had a wife and two children, a fact he withheld from Chhean when he entered into a community commitment ceremony with her about eight months ago.
While Tuek was visiting his “first wife” in Siem Reap, Chhean followed him, discovered the deception and demanded a separation. She told Tuek he would have nothing to do with their baby and left, according to Nop Sarak, Sotr Nikum district police chief in Siem Reap.
Later, Tuek approached Chhean and her mother walking on the street and allegedly stabbed Chhean five times.
“He stabbed her once in the stomach and three times on her arm, and once in the back,” Sarak said. Tuek allegedly attempted to attack Chhean’s mother before bystanders intervened and he fled.
Police expect to charge Tuek with intentional murder, which carries a prison term of 10 to 15 years.
