Family overcome by grief, donut shop owner stabbed to death

01:55 PM CDT on Sunday, August 14, 2005

By Chau Nguyen / 11 News

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Baytown police are hunting for the killer who ended a man's life over $20.

KHOU-TV

Bunrith In, 47, was stabbed to death while opening up his donut shop early Saturday morning.

The incident happened when the victim was opening his donut shop in the 3700 block of West Baker near Texas Spur 330.

"I love him so much," said Sokun In, victim's brother.

Why did 47-year-old Bunrith In, a husband, a father of four, a brother to seven siblings and a son, have to die?

Rany In, along with the rest of her family, can't understand why such a terrible thing happened. "Why did he take his life quickly like that?"

It was 4:30 Saturday morning and In was opening up his Baytown donut shop with his wife.

Police said a suspected robber came in and demanded money.

"I guess he was looking to cause trouble," said the victim's daughter, Nimol In.

His family said In gave all the money he had in the cash register, which was only $20.

The store had just opened.

That's when police said the suspect lunged at him, stabbed him to death and then ran from the store.

KHOU-TV

The incident occurred at Dina's Donuts in the 3700 block of West Baker near Texas Spur 330.

Too distraught to talk, Bunrith In's wife would be the only witness to the unimaginable crime

Flowers were left outside the store for Bunrith In. He was a proud man who wanted to own a business and raise his children as American.

Bunrith escaped his war-torn Cambodia and immigrated to the United States with his wife in 1981.

"This was our dream to come here and raise a family. They take away my brother, take my baby brother," said Sokun In as he fought back tears.

The suspect escaped by foot.

Bunrith In's wife told investigators the man had come in several times over the last few weeks.

"I would feel peace in my heart if we can just find the person," Nimol said.

For this family, finding the killer might bring justice, but may not ever ease the pain.

The Baytown Police Department is asking the public to help in finding this killer. If you have any information at all you're asked to call them at 281-420-7183.