Khamis Mushayt police are questioning a 30-year-old Saudi man after he revealed that he had killed his 40-year-old brother eight years ago and buried his body in the back of their house.

Col. Abdullah Dhafran, acting spokesman of police in the Asir province, confirmed the report and said security agents were investigating the murder to ascertain the motive behind the crime.

“Forensic and criminal investigation experts visited the crime spot to collect evidence in the presence of a special committee,” Dhafran said.

He said police found the body at the location identified by the man. “Investigations are still ongoing to collect more evidence,” the spokesman told reporters on Thursday.

A witness from Tandaha village in Khamis Mushayt said the slain man was 40 years old and was missing for the last several years. “His mother was hoping for his return during the past eight years,” the witness said. A relative of the two brothers said they belonged to a well-known family in the village, pointing out that they were half brothers.

“The family could not believe the report that the man was killed and buried by his own brother,” he said.

Saudis and expatriates across the Kingdom expressed shock and anguish at the news. One of them quoted the Prophet (peace be upon him) as saying that “a day will come when a killer would not know for what he killed and the victim would not know for what reason he was killed.”

“The killer could not have slept well during the past eight years,” said one blogger. “The first murder case in history was between brothers,” pointed out another. “Crimes are increasing. During the last three days, we have heard a wife killing her husband, a mother killing her son and now a brother murdering his brother. These are signs of the Resurrection Day,” said another.

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