A British woman has been fatally stabbed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in an incident that authorities believe stemmed from a personal dispute involving romantic rivalry. The victim has been identified as Jessica Cariad Hopkins, a 34-year-old British national originally from Harpenden, Hertfordshire.
Late on the night of August 29, local police in Phnom Penh discovered Hopkins with multiple stab wounds in a park located in the Chamkarmon district, near a popular garden where she is believed to have been attacked. She was reportedly found lying in a pool of blood with her throat slit.
Within hours, law enforcement identified and arrested a suspect connected to the attack. The individual, a 33-year-old Congolese woman named Kidikila Nganda Glodie, was taken into custody at a hair salon approximately 1.5 miles from the crime scene on August 30 at around 4:30 pm. Video footage captured from the salon shows Glodie being escorted away in handcuffs by police.
Authorities, including Deputy Commissioner General Chuon Narin of the Phnom Penh Police, have indicated that the killing was likely motivated by jealousy stemming from a love triangle. The relationship dynamics between Hopkins, Glodie, and a shared romantic interest are believed to underpin the motive, though the precise details remain under investigation.
Two female witnesses who were reportedly present during the incident came under scrutiny themselves when they were initially reprimanded by a senior police officer after speaking to local media. They later cooperated with investigators and were released. The officer involved, district deputy chief Hout Kong, has since been removed from his post.
Hopkins had been residing in Cambodia, previously in Siem Reap and more recently in a rented property in Phnom Penh’s Chroy Changvar district, according to local reports.
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in the UK confirmed that it is providing assistance to Hopkins’s family and remains in contact with Cambodian authorities.
The case remains under active investigation, with officials continuing to piece together the circumstances surrounding the murder. Glodie is expected to face formal murder charges as authorities process evidence and clarify the relationships that may have triggered this tragic outcome.
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