Man pleads guilty to murder in Cambodian club in Logan

A 47-YEAR-OLD man who fatally shot another man last year in a Cambodian community club in Logan pleaded guilty yesterday to third-degree murder and related offenses.

Sophal Siv killed Hai Luu, 39, of Cherry Hill, after accusing Luu of murdering his brother, Sophos Siv, 40, who was found tied up, severely beaten and fatally shot in 2012 inside his home on Ruscomb Street near 2nd, in Olney.

Assistant District Attorney Andrew Notaristefano said after the guilty plea that there is "no evidence he [Luu] had anything to do with" the brother's murder, which remains unsolved.

Sophal Siv, of Marshall Street near Fisher Avenue in Olney, was sentenced yesterday by Common Pleas Judge Glenn Bronson to 20 to 50 years in state prison as part of a negotiated plea deal.

Shortly before 3 a.m. March 30 last year, Sophal Siv, Luu and others were hanging out in a home on Old York Road near Ruscomb Street, in Logan, which doubled as a karaoke bar, authorities said.

It was a place where "people from the neighborhood socialized" and "everyone knew everyone," Notaristefano said. Luu and Siv had mutual friends.

"Out of nowhere," Siv "just starts accusing Mr. Luu" of killing Siv's brother, Notaristefano said. Siv pulled out two guns - a semiautomatic and a revolver. Luu said he didn't know anything about the brother's murder, Notaristefano said.

Siv started to fire his semiautomatic, but it jammed. He racked it, bullets fell to the floor and then he partially reloaded, the prosecutor said.

Siv then fired four times from the semiautomatic, shooting Luu in his vital organs.

Police were called to the scene at 2:53 a.m. and arrested Siv. Luu was taken to Einstein Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at 3:18 a.m.

Siv's attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr., said: "Mr. Siv is extremely remorseful for causing this man's death. His thoughts and prayers are with the victim's family."