An American tourist caught up in a twisted love triangle died after begging his Thai ex-girlfriend to take him back, according to police.
Stein Cole, 54, was seen pleading with his much-younger girlfriend, Nan Phawt Ar Cho, 24, to get back together with him on Monday afternoon when things quickly turned deadly, the Mirror reported.
While Cole talked with Cho, her current partner, Saw Nay Lin Oo, 26, and three other men allegedly attacked him outside a shop in Bangkok around 4.30pm.
During the vicious ambush, the group allegedly battered Cole, originally from Corcoran, California, to death with a metal pipe and knife.
When police arrived at the scene, they hauled Oo into a police car and found Stein dead in a pool of blood with five stab wounds and both of his legs broken, according to the outlet.
Officers also discovered a 10-inch knife and a three-foot metal pipe at the scene.
A dramatic image showed Cole lying in the middle of the road as people tried to resuscitate him. His ex was seen in another picture talking to reporters after Cole was killed.
The three other suspects, Saw Kyaw Win Tun, Saw Kyaw Htunt Paing, and Thein Oo, the ex-girlfriend's brother, were charged with jointly assaulting another person, causing death, per the Mirror.
Cole's 24-year-old ex-girlfriend is seen talking to reporters after he was allegedly stabbed and beaten to death by four men.
A 10 inch knife was found at the scene. Cole, originally from California, was found with five stab wounds and both of his legs broken after the attack.
One of the alleged murderers was stabbed during the scuffle and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Police claim Cole showed up at the shop with the kitchen knife, which sparked the violent fracas, the outlet stated.
According to Colonel Sonchai Poonphol, superintendent of the Bangmod Police district station, Cole 'could not accept' his break-up with Cho 'and had been following his ex-girlfriend continuously.'
Poonphol added: 'On the day of the incident, he is said to have produced a knife, provoking the suspects to intervene and attack him.
'The suspects claimed that they had no intention to kill, but the situation became chaotic, and they lost control.'
Poonphol said Cole also reportedly showed up drunk to the same area the night prior and was threatening workers with a knife.
A man named Phanuwat, who owns the shop where the fatal attack took place, said he tried to get the suspects to stay out of it, but then one of them charged at Cole with the pipe.
'Despite my warning, they lost their composure and acted impulsively, and they ended up killing someone,' Phanuwat told the outlet.
Cole lived on his own, and his ex lived in the same building as him until they called it quits. According to neighbors, the pair frequently fought, and Cole was allegedly harassing her after their breakup.
Neighbors said Cole lived alone in the apartment across the street for months.
Cho previously lived in the same building but later moved out after Cole allegedly started harassing her following their breakup.
Neighbors said they also reported hearing angry yelling spats between the couple.
The police colonel said Cho's family 'did not approve of her relationship with the American man and had been trying to separate them.'
Poonphol added that Cole 'was described as aggressive, prone to outbursts, and a heavy drinker.' He also said that the deceased man did not have a job.
It is unclear when Cole moved to Thailand. He leaves behind two sons, three siblings, and his mother, according to public records.