TAPAH, Nov 5 — The prime suspect in the grisly multiple Tapah murders is believed to have killed four people to avoid settling his debts.

A police source said one of the victims, a spare-parts salesman, was murdered when he turned up at the suspect’s mechanic shop-cum-home to collect RM800.

The second victim, a woman bus operator aged 56, was killed as the suspect did not want to pay her commission for a bus refurbishment contract.

A land broker, 46, became the third victim when he was murdered over a land deal that turned sour.

The fourth victim, a worker at the mechanic shop, was killed for allegedly asking for repayment of a loan he had given the suspect.

The source said the land broker and the bus operator were lured to their deaths by the suspect, who told them to go to the house to collect the money he owed.

“The mechanic and spare-parts salesman met the same fate when they went to the house to confront the suspect,” the source said.

“As long as it was at his house, the suspect was ready to finish them off. It was like the perfect opportunity for him and he treated it like solving a problem.”

Perak deputy CID chief ACP Fadzil told Malay Mail the suspect was ready to kill anyone who crossed him over money.

“Initial investigations revealed the murders were committed by the prime suspect and his eldest son, aged 20,” he said.

Fadzil said the victims were not held captive and were almost immediately murdered when they turned up at the house.

The suspects had bludgeoned the victims to death before their bodies were burned and dumped in a river, he said.

The suspect’s two daughters, aged 11 and 23, have been placed under police witness protection.

He said the mother, aged 54, and another son, aged 17, were assisting police investigations. The teenager became disabled after he was involved in an accident several years ago.

Fadzil denied news reports the victims were cut up and fed to the many dogs that roam freely around the house.

He also said it was not true the suspect was a gangster who had been banished to another state.

“There are just too many false reports regarding the case. There was even one report that claimed that the family had a python. All these are not true,” he said.

“We have done a background check on the suspects and only the father had seven criminal records for theft, criminal breach of trust and cheating.”

Fadzil said police investigations showed there were only four victims.