koh tao murders crime scene photos
[15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. There was no evidence of a misdemeanour, but the bodies are send to the police hospital for atopsies. Fears over the safety of idyllic Koh Tao were heightened after the killings of Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in 2014. On February 3, 2003, she was found dead of a gunshot wound in the mansion of famed record-producer Phil Spector. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. On September 20, 1988, Tara Calico left her home in New Mexico to go on a bike ride she took, In November 1981, actress Natalie Wood mysteriously drowned off the coast of Southern California during a boating trip with her, In July 2014, 52 year old Lynn Messer mysteriously disappeared from her familys 260-acre farm in Bloomsdale, Missouri. [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. [1] Receiving half a million visitors each year,[1] Koh Tao is especially popular with backpackers and known for its marine life and scuba diving. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16, but failed to do so. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. In August 2020, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo had their death sentences commuted to life in prison to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. [7] Witheridge had completed undergraduate studies in education at the University of East Anglia and had started post-graduate studies in speech and language therapy at the University of Essex. As we continue with our plans for our beautiful Hannahs party, our thoughts are with David Millers family who are suffering the same indescribable agony. By Thomas Fuller. We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". Photographs of the bodies . 2023 BBC. Zaw Lin, front, and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun), rear, arrive at the court in Koh Samui, Blinken and Lavrov meet for first time since invasion, Explosive found in check-in luggage at US airport, Harry and Meghan told to 'vacate' Frogmore Cottage, Whiskey fungus forces Jack Daniels to stop construction, Tulsa massacre survivors granted Ghana citizenship, Seven in hospital from US plane turbulence, Same-sex marriage ban not discrimination - Japan PM, Messages reveal battle over Covid school policy. Nick Pearson, from Derby, was found floating in the sea on New Year's Day 2014. But her parents slammed Thai authorities for failing to investigate the death. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. Phone records show that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17 before leaving on a Ferry April 19 - but it is not known why she alighted on Koh Tao instead of continuing on to the mainland. 2040 / 2557", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koh_Tao_murders&oldid=1135707447, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 26 January 2023, at 10:00. shark tank hamdog net worth SU,F's Musings from the Interweb. [42][43] The police said the suspects' DNA matched a sample of semen taken from Witheridge's body, and to the hoe and cigarette butts found near the body. He was discovered floating in the water by a member of hotel staff, with his death coming just days after a tragic final Facebook post on New Year's Eve, in which he said: "Can honestly say this new year I am living the dream". Hundreds dead in horror cough syrup tragedy, Hero Aussie soldier suddenly dies aged 33. Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. Guardian. [80][81], The Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan-o-cha, said "[foreign female tourists] think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like. They had no prior criminal records. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Elise went 1.5 miles (2.5km) through the jungle to Tanote Bay and took a room at the Poseidon Resort where she booked another ticket for Bangkok leaving on April 24. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. The body of 48 year old diving instructor Neil Giblin, from Birmingham, UK, was found dead in his rented bungalow on the island after he failed to turn up to a diving . Samyak Choudhary; and In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailands island of Koh Tao. The circumstances around his death are a mystery. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop by scuba divers in the sea after he disappeared following a night out with his family on New Year's Eve. koh tao murders crime scene photos. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. Although both of his hands were tied behind the back, the police said he could have done this himself as the rope was tied to one hand and a loop was made so the other hand could be inserted. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. Thai police say the man on the left matches the one seen acting suspiciously on CCTV A Scottish man is being kept in protective custody in Thailand after a photo he took could identify the. The brutality of the killings made headlines worldwide and cast a shadow across Thailands image as a safe and carefree destination for 20 million foreign visitors a year. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. The items were still there are 3 am and he called the police. The father of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge has wept as graphic photos of her body lying on a Thai beach were shown in court. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. Prosecutors alleged that the double murder of Paul and Maggie was part of an effort by Murdaugh to gain sympathy and distract others from his significant financial crimes. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the killings. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; The past three weeks have been unimaginably difficult and there are no words that can adequately describe the heartache and despair that our family is experiencing. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. 4.14. Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. A mistake that many forensic experts say jeopardized the entire investigation.Throughout the investigation and criminal trial, the Thai government and police were heavily criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and the media. This led to dozens of charges accusing Alex Murdaugh of stealing nearly $5million in settlement money from lawyers who sued him over the death.. The family of some of the deceased - including three more Brits - have accused local cops of not investigating the deaths of their loved ones. A former Australian soldier, Justin Christopher House, died in Bangkok, where he was living, on February 2. My name is Suzanne Buchanan. They claim they did not receive an autopsy report and say his body was sent against their wishes to the same Bangkok hospital that carried out botched reports on the bodies of two Brits murdered on the same island in 2014. She was later identified by dental records and previous x-rays. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. The two men deny murdering Miss Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Koh Tao has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. [95] The mayor of the island, Chaiyan Turasakul, announced a new police station and staffed it with 40 full-time officers, compared to five previously. Fototeka is a large photo digitation service that works in conjunction with the National Film Archive to enhance historically relevant vintage photographs. For a second day in a row Taiwan has reported a large-scale air force incursion, escalating tensions in the region. A court in Thailand has convicted a pair of Burmese men of the murder of two young British tourists on the holiday island of Koh Tao, a verdict described as just by one victim's family but. Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. Elise had been traveling around Asia for two years, and before her death had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat on Koh Phangan. Nick's father, Graham, had been the last person to see him when he walked with his son back to where the family was staying. Something went wrong, please try again later. [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island on New Year's Day 2015 and his death was ruled as suicide despite his hands being tied behind his back. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. However, no toxicology report was conducted. Elise's death is the latest in a string of seven fatalities in three years on the island. [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. . The court has now been told that vital DNA evidence cannot be retested. The Thaiger 116K subscribers Join Subscribe 712 Share 29K views 10 months ago #thailand #kohtao #thailandtourist We've all heard. [76], The International Commission of Jurists said "the defense must be afforded adequate time and facilities to explore whether the alleged destruction of evidence in this case was appropriate and unavoidable, and to test the prosecution case overall." While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. Police major general, Surachate Hakparn, said in an interview that the police have cracked down on crime syndicates on Koh Tao since the backpackers double killing. [21][73], The death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment on 14 August 2020 following a royal decree to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and "illustrate the king's clemency". In a statement following his hearing, James Gissing, who was in Thailand with Luke, said he felt police were covering up as it was the death of another foreigner on Koh Tao, referring to the Witheridge and Miller murders. A judge found the workers guilty and sentenced them to death despite questions about DNA evidence and the police handling of the case. There were no signs of a struggle or rape or other human DNA. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. Valentina Novozhenova 2017; This story was huge at the time in the UK as they were both British. Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. SUPAPONG CHAOLAN DNA tests have failed to provide a match. Today, we have gotten rid of them.. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Sutheerakhun, director of the Institute of Forensic Science at Police General Hospital in Bangkok, said There were wounds around the neck due to the hanging and some non-fatal bruises in the head, and no drugs were found in the body. I should add that I was not representing the accused men so I am not presenting arguments on their behalf in any lawyer/client relationship. The suspects however have withdrawn their confessions to the murders and claimed Thai police forced the admissions through torture. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. Shelley Bot 2017; Pathologists and legal experts criticised the police for mishandling the evidence, allowing contamination of the crime scene and failing to use experts to collect forensic evidence. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. Read about our approach to external linking. 8 Christina is one of the many young Brits to have died on the island Credit: Handout 8 koh tao murders crime scene photos Understanding powerlessness and vulnerability of migrants across Thailand, when combined with widespread criticism of this murder investigation and allegations of powerful actors influencing developments continues to produce deep distrust or suspicion that the real people responsible for . International experts criticized the DNA testing done by the hospital at the time with claims that samples were tampered with in order to falsely incriminate two Burmese workers. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. Friends and family remain suspicious of the police investigation and the insistence that Dimitri committed suicide, especially as his hands were tied behind his back. 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