For years the smiling faces of Hoa Tek Chiem and his wife Heang Kim Gau greeted customers at their busy takeaway shop in Cambridge Park.
Buzzy Bee’s Burger House is something of an icon, especially for the locals it served – generations of them.
But last weekend it became the scene of a gruesome murder, with the beloved owners killed on Saturday morning in what police described as a “confronting scene”.
Police allege it was their son, Allan Chiem, who killed them. Detectives charged him less than 24 hours after launching their investigation.
The 31-year-old’s case was briefly mentioned at Parramatta Bail Court last Sunday, where it was confirmed he would spend Christmas behind bars. There was some suggestion he may make an application for bail at his next court appearance.
The accused double murderer will undergo a mental health assessment.
“There are issues that need to be [addressed] by a professional and I can flag on the next occasion a release application may be made on the basis of rehabilitation,” his lawyer Mohamed Sakr said.
“There’s no place in our community for domestic violence and I appreciate that and I accept that… every accused deserves representation, every accused deserves to be in the justice system and if there are underlying issues, those need to be [looked at].”
Police had spent much of Saturday at the popular shopping strip on Oxford Street in Cambridge Park, gathering evidence and speaking to locals.
Detective A/Superintendent Michael Cantrell said it was a devastating scene.
“It’s a confronting scene,” he said.
“The welfare of our officers is being addressed and we have systems in place for that.”
Just what happened in the lead-up to the murder of 69-year-old Hoa Tek Chiem and 68-year-old Heang Kim Gau remains largely unknown, with more information likely to be revealed when the case heads to Penrith Local Court in the new year.
Police do believe that 31-year-old Chiem was the man dressed in black spotted on the roof of the shopping strip and in nearby streets on the morning of the alleged murder. Video footage of that man was circulated widely on social media on Saturday morning.
Chiem was arrested at 12.30am on Sunday, December 1 at the family home in Canley Heights and was charged with two counts of ‘murder (DV)’ at Fairfield Police Station soon after.
Troy Dodds
Troy Dodds is the Weekender's Managing Editor and Breaking News Reporter. He has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working with some of Australia's leading media organisations. In 2023, he was named Editor of the Year at the Mumbrella Publish Awards.