Ft. Carson Soldier Accused Of Killing Wife, Fleeing Country

INDIANAPOLIS, IN — A Fort Carson soldier was charged with murder Wednesday after flying from Colorado to Indianapolis to kill his wife, then fleeing the country for Thailand, authorities said.

BuzzFeed News said on Dec. 23, a homeless woman found the dead body of 27-year-old Khuang Par inside a suitcase left in a dumpster, just over a week before Marion County prosecutors filed murder charges against her husband, 21-year-old Peter Van Bawi Lian. According to the news report, Par had taken a protective order out against Lian, who is accused of killing her while still on active duty with the US Army.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the protective order was issued on Dec. 3 after Lian's November arrest for allegedly choking Par and yelling in Burmese that he would kill her.
BuzzFeed reported Par returned to Indianapolis a month ago to be with family, and Lian flew from Fort Carson in Colorado Springs to Indianapolis on Dec. 22, according to investigators. According to charging documents citing flight records, Lian boarded a flight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to Hong Kong, via San Francisco on Dec. 23, and left Hong Kong for Thailand the next day. He has been declared AWOL and is now also wanted for military desertion after not returning to base by Dec. 26, BuzzFeed said.

"Our heartfelt sympathy and prayers go out to the victim's family and friends during this difficult time," Col. James G. Kent, commander, 4th Sustainment Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, said in a statement. "Fort Carson will continue to cooperate with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department in this ongoing investigation."

Patch will update this story as information becomes available.

By Rebecca Bream, Patch staff

Above undated photo provided by the Indianapolis Police Department shows Peter Van Bawi Lian. Authorities say the 21-year-old soldier who flew from Colorado to Indiana and allegedly killed his wife, then fled to Thailand, is now wanted for military desertion. (Indianapolis Police Department via AP)

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