Fourth arrest over murder of Thea Kheav a painful moment for family, grieving brother says

The brother of a man murdered in a violent attack at a house party has revealed his grieving family’s reaction to the arrest of a fourth suspect.

The brother of murdered Thea Kheav has revealed the pain his family still feels more than fifteen years on after the violent stabbing attack.

Speaking to the media for the first time since arrest of a fourth man suspected in the 2007 murder of 21-year-old Thea, Rithy Kheav told The Advertiser his family was going through a difficult period.

Thea Kheav, 21, was murdered at a house party in 2007. Picture: Supplied

“It is an emotional time for our family; we just want closure for our families,” Mr Kheav said.

“(It is) not a good time for our families to talk about what happened – it brings back so much memories and pain in our heart.”

However, Mr Kheav said he was grateful police were still pursuing the case.

“We want to thank the SA Police and justice system for helping our families,” he said.

Thea Kheav was killed at an 18th birthday party in Parafield Gardens on December 1, 2007 with more than 30 injuries on his body, including a 6cm machete wound to his face. Three men were convicted of his murder in 2011 but a fourth suspect remained out of reach of police until this weekend.

Mr Kheav’s comments come after Kim Long Rim, 36, was arrested on Saturday by detectives from the Victoria Police Homicide Squad and South Australian Major Crime Investigation Branch after he flew into Melbourne from Bangkok.

Police say Mr Rim was identified as a suspect in the murder six months after Mr Kheav’s death, by which time they allege he had fled to Cambodia.

In 2008, Mr Rim was arrested in Cambodia but released three months later after the Cambodian Supreme Court rejected detectives’ application to have him extradited to SA.

Detectives lead Kim Long Rim through Adelaide Airport after he was extradited from Melbourne on Saturday over the 2007 murder of Thea Kheav. Picture: Riley Walter

Detectives led Mr Rim through Adelaide Airport on Saturday at about 8.15pm.

He briefly appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Monday charged with the murder, where the court heard that due to the time elapsed since Thea Kheav’s murder, police would require several months to gather evidence and locate witnesses.

Mr Rim was remanded in custody until September.

His co-accused Chansyna Duong, Tuan Kiet David Huynh and Rotha Sem were sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011 with a non-parole period of 20 years.