OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) — An Oakland woman is among the six people who died from suspected cyanide poisoning at a luxury hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
Police are now investigating a possible murder-suicide stemming from a financial dispute.
Inside a Grand Hyatt Hotel suite in Bangkok, authorities found plates of food uneaten, empty teacups and bodies all around the room.
According to police, traces of cyanide were found in the teacups at the five-star hotel.
Bangkok’s deputy police chief says six people died from apparent poisoning.
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Police are investigating whether a financial dispute may have motivated the deaths.
Four of the victims were Vietnamese nationals. Two were Vietnamese Americans, including 56-year-old Sherine Chong of Oakland.
Property records link Chong to a three-story home in Oakland.
“It seems crazy. That’s all I have to say,” said Steve Truman who lives right next door.
Truman says it was around 6 p.m. Wednesday when he saw several people show up in front of the home connected to Chong.
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“There was a van and an undercover police officer here looking up that way. I had no idea what was going on,” Truman said.
Truman didn’t recognize Chong’s name or photograph.
Truman said a large Asian family lives in the home right next door to him, and they’re related to the family that lives in the house right behind Truman.
He’s stunned to hear about the local tie to suspected cyanide poisoning.
“Oh absolutely,” Truman said.
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Neighbor Letty Webster has lived across from the home for more than 10 years. She doesn’t remember seeing Chong either.
“It’s sad. It’s tragic. It’s the other side of the world. Granted, the person who died is connected to this,” said Dennis Thomas, another neighbor.
Bangkok police says it believes that one person in the group administered the poison to the others.
Officers found that Chong was alone in the room, when the tea and food was delivered, and that video shows show the rest of the party arriving shortly after.
Family of two the victims also told police that they had invested nearly $280,000 to other members of the party, and they were all meeting up to sort out their financial issues.
The investigation is still underway.
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