KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: "I caught my daughter's killer and the police lost him." The bitterness in See Soon Thiam's voice was evident. It will haunt him for the rest of his days.

Four years ago, the body of his daughter, See Sheau Fang, was found wrapped in plastic and a blanket in a 1.6m-deep concrete-covered pit in the compound of a house in Sijangkang, Selangor.

The case had been classified as kidnap-cum-murder. The family paid a ransom of RM40,000 for the 18-year-old girl?s release but to no avail.

Two brothers - Kher Tian Hock and Kher Then Heng - were the main suspects.

See, with several friends, had met the older brother to seek information on Sheau Fang's whereabouts.

However, when his queries were shrugged off, See alerted the police, resulting in Tian Hock's arrest on the day Sheau Fang's body was found.

Tian Hock, however, escaped from the Tanjung Sepat police station and is still on the run.

His younger brother was charged with the murder but was acquitted last month due to lack of evidence.

"I don't believe in anybody or anything any more," See told the New Straits Times at his home in Taman Melati, Jenjarum, Klang recently. "Not the police, the government or the media."

"My wife, four children and I have never been the same again after the tragedy.

"Even festivals like Chinese New Year don't have any meaning for us any more. What's the point of celebrating?"

The despondency of his words was reflected in the fact that his home bore none of the New Year decorations that festooned other houses in his neighbourhood.

His family, upon seeing yet another reporter at their doorstep, quickly retreated indoors and bolted the door behind them.

See, who was listlessly painting his porch, was obviously still hurting and did not once make eye contact during the conversation.

"I gave the police one of the suspects myself, but he escaped," the grieving man said.

"The other one has been acquitted of the crime because of a lack of evidence.

"What's the point of pursuing the matter further? There's no point in talking about it any more."

The only consolation for him is that Then Heng is still behind bars for another case.

"Talking about this is useless. The point is the killers got away and we are heartbroken."

Four years have passed since the murder and it's clear that the family is still grieving.

They moved out of their family home in Sg Jarum, Jenjarum, three years ago to start afresh, but it is obvious that life will never be the same again.

The case was big news in Sijangkang, especially after the main suspect escaped from police custody.

There were sightings of the fugitive in the area several months after he had escaped, but he was never caught.

Residents were outraged and it is believed that at least one of them took it out on the suspect?s wife by forcing poison down her throat.

She was hospitalised for several days, but continues to stay in Jenjarum.