The man’s wife has been taken into custody and police continue to search for a man who was living in the victim’s home.
A 65-year-old man was found dead on his farm in Mongton, Shan State, last week, with the cause of death ruled as beheading.
Aik Tu reportedly went to work in his fields in the village of Nawng Paryin on July 9, where is body was later found. According to the local authorities, his head had been wrapped in a blanket and hidden in a bush some 250 feet from the body. Police also found a sword on site, which they believe to be the murder weapon.
It remains unknown who the perpetrator is.
Locals said that Aik Tu’s wife was brought into custody after it was found she was hiding near the crime scene. Police seized three gold necklaces, two gold rings, luggage, 1.3 million kyat (US$861) and 59,000 Thai baht ($1,908) in cash, from her. She had reportedly locked and left her home.
Police are also looking to question a man who had been living in Aik Tu and Ner Mwe’s home—Kyaw Shwe Ba, who the authorities have not been able to locate since Aik Tu’s murder. Kyaw Shwe Ba may have been the last person to see Aik Tu alive when he brought him lunch at 10 a.m. on the day of his death.
“If he didn’t do anything wrong, he doesn’t need to run away,” Mongton local Sai Hsur Lon said of the missing man.