Cops: Man kills wife, friend over suspected love triangle

FRESNO COUNTY, Calif. -- Detectives are digging into a double murder over the weekend and what may be a love triangle that sent a man over the edge.

Relatives found the murder victims Saturday night after they did not return home from work. Investigators flew to Nevada to interview the suspect, who turned himself in and has admitted to the crimes, police say.

Fresno County sheriff's investigators say the suspect and victims all worked in the same field, growing vegetables. Detectives say Leuth Sengsongkham confronted his wife along with a man he thought was her lover. Investigators have interviewed family members looking for more information about what appears to be a crime of passion. But so far, the most intimate details have come from the suspect himself.

"He is saying that he thought his wife was involved with this man and that's why he carried out the murders that he did," Tony Botti, Fresno County Sheriff's Office, said

Leuth Sengsongkham and Rattama Choumramamy were married for many years and share seven children. In the past years, one of the couple's daughters shared on Facebook that she loved the advice from her father. On Sunday, another daughter wrote on a picture with her mom: "Heaven gained a new angel. You were and will always be the best mother. He took you away too soon, everything I do, will be for you."

Investigators say after Leuth shot his wife and their friend, Somkeo Thongkhamvilay, he drove to Henderson, Nev., to confess the crime to some relatives who live there.

"I believe he actually discussed with his relatives what he had done, and I don't know if it was family convincing him, 'Hey, you gotta go turn yourself in,' or if he just had a guilty conscience and said, 'This isn't right, I need to go to police,'" Botti said.

Investigators say relatives called 911 Saturday night after the victims were found in the field. The couple's children were too upset to talk Monday morning.

Investigators do not believe there were any additional witnesses to the murder. The weapon used in the crimes has been found, police say. The suspect is facing two counts of murder.