A Vietnamese American woman among the six people killed at a hotel in Bangkok is suspected of orchestrating a murder suicide.
Authorities believe Oakland, CA resident Sherine Chong may have poisoned the five others by inserting cyanide into their tea before drinking the spiked tea herself, reported the Washington Post.
The five others killed included four Vietnamese nationals and another Vietnamese American.
The Bangkok Post reported Chong gathered everyone there to settle a financial dispute about an investment deal she pulled together for a construction project. The group had sued her when the project stalled. They were all scheduled to meet in court in two weeks, but Chong convinced the others to meet with her to discuss a possible out of court settlement.
According to The Star, autopsies of all the victims found traces of cyanide. A doctor said their lips had turned purple indicating a lack of oxygen.
It happened at the Grand Hyatt Hotel Erawan Hotel.
“The case likely stems from a debt problem. There are no other possibilities. The culprit is among the six (dead) because they were the only people who entered the room. There were no others,” Maj-Gen Theeradej said.
Neighbors of Chong were stunned by news of her death.
“It seems crazy. That’s all I have to say,” said Steve Truman to ABC7 News.
“It’s sad. It’s tragic. It’s the other side of the world,” said another neighbor, Dennis Thomas. “Granted, the person who died is connected to this.”
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