[1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. Nick's mother Tracy Pearson, told Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court in the U.K., she had "a gut feeling there was foul play". Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. She had medication for a chest infection and was drinking, but the Thai police failed to investigate if the combination was sufficient to kill her.". Aran Klaewklong, a security guard from Big Blue Diving shop, told police he found a mobile phone, clothes, a hotel key, shoes and an ID on the beach at 1.30 am during a beach patrol. Michelle, who says the death would have gone unnoticed if not for her public appeal for help, said: "I do not believe what the police have told us. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. KOH TAO, Thailand Promoters call the Thai island of Koh Tao a paradise. The men, apprehended soon after the pair's bodies were found, initially confessed to the crime only to retract their statements amid claims they were extracted by torture. The pictures, which News Corp Australia will not reproduce, were taken on the beach at Koh Tao, where the pair was hacked to death with a garden hoe, allegedly by two Burmese men who confessed to the bloody crime then withdrew their confessions. But no suicide note or message were recovered and Michele is desperate for information surrounding the mysterious death. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Ben Harrington 2012; She was part of the sect of the Sathya Sai Baba cult movement, and lived with a self-proclaimed "guru", and left the island on April 17 to return home. [30] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission said "the circumstances surrounding the arrest of the two Myanmar workers were dubious, leading to impressions the suspects were not aware of their rights and that justice had not been done". Police and court systems were hacked or taken offline in the following days, and a stash of personal information obtained from the court's servers was posted publicly. Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered as they walked back to their hotel rooms in September 2014. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. Passport photos of David William Miller, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, both 24, were placed on this memorial on Koh Tao on Wednesday. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Nick Pearson 2014; 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. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Allegations about police brutality rocked the countrys economy that almost solely relies on tourism. He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. 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. Elise's mother Michele van Egten says she does not believe the Thai police's version of events amid fears authorities are working to suppress speculation about the many murders on the island. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. Read about our approach to external linking. Shelley Bot 2017; I just listened to your full podcast about Koh Tao with considerable interest. By the mid 1980s, the criminal underworld . According to the Daily Mail, the District Attorney publicized the gruesome photos a week after they were presented to a jury. The autopsy stated he had drowned. However, according to Rhys Bonney, an immigration adviser to expats in Thailand, the legality of the businesses are an extremely grey area. British Bricklayer Luke Miller, 26, was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach on January 6, 2016. These are the first pictures of the British tourists murdered on a paradise beach in Thailand. Doubts lingered over the conviction of two migrant Burmese workers for the rape and murders, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Hiroshi 2002; With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. Try for $0.00. It is always challenging to bring ACCURATE & RELIABLE information about violent crime on Koh Tao because too many people are frightened to speak out publicly and still others try to SHOOT THE MESSENGERS . 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. She was dedicated, ambitious and would have made an amazing difference to the lives of many families through her chosen career as a Speech and Language Therapist. Koh Tao Murders March 28, 2022 courtneyjfretwell Uncategorized 1 Comment In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailand's island of Koh Tao. The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. Post-mortem examinations showed that the young backpackers, who had met on the island while staying at the same hotel, both suffered head wounds and that Hannah had been raped. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. ISBN: 9780062802910. Police chief Apichart Boonsrirote said he assigned teams to check all surveillance cameras around the hostel and on the island to find out where she was last seen, The Phuket News reported. A former Australian soldier, Justin Christopher House, died in Bangkok, where he was living, on February 2. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. Read about our approach to external linking. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Luke Miller, a bricklayer from the Isle of Wight, was found dead in a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach on January 8 2016, with an inquest earlier this month finding "no evidence" he was murdered. But an unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts - including the one Elise had been staying in. Myanmar men who murdered two UK backpackers on Ko Tao have their death sentences commuted to life Mobile phone of Ukrainian woman key to the puzzle as police decide between murder or suicide Ko Samui police probe the death of a Ukrainian woman found in a forested area last Sunday by a local man Carla Boonkong & Pranee O' Connor Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. Dive resorts boast of its crystal-clear waters, and Western tourists flock to its lively beach bars. A Thai police officer who was called to the scene of the killing of two British tourists on Koh Tao island in September 2014 testified on Wednesday, the first of dozens of witnesses who . There were no signs of fighting or a struggle, nor were foreign objects or substances that could cause loss of consciousness found in the body.. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. Koh Tao has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. By Thomas Fuller. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? 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". Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. I am the former owner and editor of the Samui Times, a news publication on Koh Samui, and covered the stories of the so-called "backpacker murders" and other suspicious . Michele claims that Elise used a fake name of "Elise Dubuis" to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao as she travelled via the island on a ferry bound for Chumphon province on her route back to capital Bangkok. The family of some of the deceased - including three more Brits - have accused local cops of not investigating the deaths of their loved ones. [15], Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo retracted their statements following a visit from a consular lawyer for Myanmar and said they had made their statements under duress, after they had allegedly been beaten, left naked in a freezing room, and threatened with electrocution and an extrajudicial killing. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Elise fled 2.5km to 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. senseless" photos of the crime scene, they say, which show her body . She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. Associate Professor Charnkanit Krittiya Suriyamanee, a criminologist and lecturer at the faculty of social science and humanities of Mahidol University, said he doubted the suicide theory citing some irrelevant evidences, according to Chiangrai Times. Pathologist Dr. Michael Biggs told the hearing that there were many injuries on Nick's body, including to the head, limbs, and face. Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; A fascinating, cinematic, multigenerational history of the Cuban mob in the US from "America's top chronicler of organized crime"* and New York Times bestselling author of Havana Nocturne. 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