Bhuddist monk charged with MURDER after 'bludgeoning religious leader to death inside Alabama temple'
A monk has been charged with murder after allegedly bludgeoning a senior monk to death inside a Buddhist temple.
Chaiwat Mileechate, 45, a senior monk at the Wat Buddahrakha Temple in Grand Bay, Alabama, was found murdered around 10am on Friday morning.
Vern Phdsamay, 32, a monk from Laos who lived at the temple, was arrested and charged with murder.
Scroll down for video
Murdered: Chaiwat Mileechate, 45, a senior monk at the Wat Buddahrakha Temple in Alabama, was found dead yesterday morning
Suspect: Veun Phdsanay, 32, a monk living at the same temple, was charged with murder and booked into jail
The two monks were preparing lunch in the temple when they had an altercation, according to investigators.
Altercation: The two monks were preparing lunch when they began arguing, according to investigators
Members of the temple, who are mostly Thai and Laotian immigrants, gathered in mourning as police searched the scene, including a monastery for evidence.
Investigators have found one witness to the men's argument and are now searching for a Laotian interpreter so they can interview the witness.
Burch said that Phdsamay is known within the community for refusing to speak.
Tricky: Members of the temple are mostly Thai and Laotian immigrants - police are searching for translators to help with the investigation
One temple member, Sasikant Noreross, told Al.com that Phdsamay had locked himself in his room for months, sneaking out to eat before the other monks woke up.
She said that Phdsamay had undergone psychological counseling and mediation therapy but had retreated back into isolation over the past few months.
‘I can’t believe it’, she added.
Mileechate moved to the U.S more than a decade ago, and learnt English from watching TV, according to a 2010 interview with Al.com.
'We try to lead the Buddhist people to meditate,' he said in the interview. 'To cool down, to slow down. The clear mind. The pure mind.'