LONG BEACH - A young Army veteran who was murdered with his girlfriend early New Year's Day had a checkered military past, Army officials confirmed Monday. Sarith Em, 25, and his girlfriend, Vannaly Tim, 24, were gunned down early Thursday morning outside of the apartment in the 1800 block of Gardenia Avenue

Sarith Em, 25, and his girlfriend, Vannaly Tim, 24, were gunned down early Thursday morning outside of the apartment in the 1800 block of Gardenia Avenue - near Pacific Coast Highway and Cherry Avenue - that they shared with Tim's parents, grandmother and 5-year-old son.

Authorities have few leads and are asking for the public's help.

While Tim's family had said Em served three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, Army officials said Em served one tour of duty in Afghanistan in 2004.

In March 2006, Em was convicted of larceny, burglary and lying on official statements while he was stationed in Fort Drum, N.Y., according to a Fort Drum report available online and confirmed as accurate by Army spokesman Lt. Col. George Wright on Monday.

Last week after the shooting, Wright said he wasn't able to confirm many details of Em's military history and deployment due to the New Year's holiday.

According to the report, Em broke into vehicles and unoccupied barracks of deployed soldiers and stole more than $10,000 in property, including laptop computers, video game systems, a diamond ring and Army gear. During the investigation,

Although the report says Em was sentenced to 22 months in military confinement, Wright on Monday could not confirm if the soldier had served prison time.

Em officially received a bad conduct discharge from the Army in May 2008, Wright said. A bad conduct discharge is given for less serious offenses than what would warrant a dishonorable discharge.

After graduating from Wilson High School, Em enlisted in the Army in December 2002 and began active duty as a combat engineer in March 2003, Wright said.

Em began dating Tim about four years ago and had lived with her family for about a year, Tim's sister Debi So said Monday.

So said she was "shocked" to learn about Em's criminal past and that no one in the family, except perhaps Tim, had known about it.

"I believe they kept that to themselves, because we weren't aware of that," So said.

Em "was always quiet," So said. "He was just with my sister. He kept to himself most of the time."

Em's sister, Soheng Em, also said she was surprised to hear about Em's conviction.

She said that she hasn't been in regular contact with her brother in recent years, though she knew he was in the Army.

"He comes and goes to my place and stuff, but that's about it," the sister said.

She and members of Tim's family said Em seemed proud of his Army service, despite his secret criminal conviction.

So said he was a hard worker who worked a graveyard shift at Pelican Products, an international manufacturer based in Torrance. He spent his nights working and most of the day sleeping, she said.

Ellen Michel, director of human resources for Pelican Products, confirmed Monday that Em had worked the graveyard shift for almost a year as a machine operator making electronics and equipment cases.

"He was well-liked by everyone," Michel said. "He really will be missed."

While Tim's family wasn't aware of any career plans that Em had, So said he did have one personal ambition.

"He wanted to marry my sister," So said. "That was like one of his big goals."

Family members said Em had become like a father to Tim's son, Adam.

But in the early morning hours of New Year's Day, an unknown assailant opened fire on Tim and Em in the street next to their car. The couple had gone outside to move their vehicle because they weren't sure whether there would be street sweeping on New Year's Day, and they didn't want a parking ticket, family members said.

A Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman on Sunday said Tim and Em both died from multiple gunshot wounds.

The family hopes to bury the couple side-by-side at Green Hills Memorial Park in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged to call police homicide detectives at 562-570-7244.

For information about donating money to the Tim family for funeral costs, call 562-728-7113 or 626-890-0742.

paul.eakins@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1278

kelly.puente@presstelegram.com, 562-499-1305