A member of the U.S. Army stationed in Fort Carson, Colorado is wanted for allegedly murdering his wife Khuang Par during the holidays last year.
Investigators have identified the suspect as 21-year-old Peter Van Bawi Lian, who flew from Colorado to Indianapolis on December 22 while still on active duty, BuzzFeed reported.
Police received a call the following day from a homeless woman who spotted a lifeless body stuffed inside a suitcase in a Country Club Apartments dumpster on Teddy Drive.
In the autopsy report, it was discovered that the 27-year-old woman suffered trauma on both sides of her neck as well as hemorrhage in her eyes.
Lian, who served in the military for seven months, most recently as a financial management technician, was supposed to return to the installation after Christma, but he never showed up.
On top of the murder charges filed by the Prosecutors in Marion County, Indiana, he was also declared AWOL and wanted for military desertion.
“Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go out to the victim’s family and friends during this difficult time,” Col. James G. Kent said in a statement. “Fort Carson will continue to cooperate with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in this ongoing investigation.”
Investigators later discovered through flight records that Lian boarded a flight from Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport to Hong Kong on the same day Par’s body was found. The suspect left Hong Kong for Thailand the following day.
Lian was reportedly arrested in November when he allegedly choked Par and verbally abused her in Burmese, his native tongue. On December 3, a protective order was issued.
Featured Image Screenshot via YouTube / KOAA 5 (Left), Indianapolis Police Department via AP (Right)
