Police: Army man murdered wife, put body in Indy dumpster, flew to Bangkok

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – A 21-year-old man AWOL from the Army has been charged with killing his wife after a domestic dispute in Colorado and has fled the country, officials in Indianapolis said Wednesday.

Charges were filed Wednesday against Peter Van Bawi Lian for the murder of his wife, 27-year-old Khuang Par. Lian’s travel has been traced to Thailand.

Par’s body was found by a homeless woman just after 10 a.m. Dec. 23 in the 300 block of Teddy Lane. That’s off East Troy Avenue between South Meridian and Shelby streets.

The body was found in a suitcase in a dumpster, according to court documents.

Khuang Par (Photo Provided/Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department)

Court documents show Lian was arrested Nov. 30 on assault and menacing charges in Colorado Springs, Colo. Lian and Par had fought in their home about her going back to Indianapolis where she has family. Lian had told Colorado Springs Police Department officers that he had tightly grabbed Par by her neck and yelled “I’m going to kill you” during the fight.

Par returned to Indianapolis with the help of family Dec. 1.

Lian flew into Indianapolis Dec. 22, police learned.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department learned Lian boarded a plane Dec. 23 at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport and arrived Dec. 24 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Lian was last seen Dec. 21 on his Army base, Fort Carson, and is wanted for military desertion after not returning there as planned Dec. 26.

Court records list Lian as being from the south side of Indianapolis. The records also said his parents still live in Indianapolis.