Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. Hannah was also revelling in her time staying at Sairee Beach with another group of travelling companions. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. koh tao murders crime scene photos. On tiny Koh Tao, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. "We're more and more thinking that the police information is not the right explanation.". [46] The police then forced the suspects to re-enact the murder in front of media,[34] a move condemned by legal experts as prejudicing a fair hearing. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. [67][21][68] The conviction was primarily guided by the DNA evidence,[67][69] and the court said it did not consider their confessions in making the judgement. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. Rocio Gomez; Samui Times defended its reporting in an online post. Suter had been a regular snorkeler and his death was totally unexplained. Fears over the safety of idyllic Koh Tao were heightened after the killings of Brits Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in 2014. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. [1], A defence team from Bangkok, composed of nearly 20 lawyers, were only permitted half an hour to meet the men; a request by the defence to delay the hearing and allow more time to prepare was denied by a judge at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. [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. Eight days later locals living near Tanote Bay found Elise's body after becoming suspicious of a monitor lizard going back and forth into the jungle. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. 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. However, a lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo told the BBC that the pair had not admitted their guilt when their death sentences were commuted. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. Her mother, Michele claimed that Elise used a fake name of 'Elise Dubuis' to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao. He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". She said: "I would tell them to do everything in their power to stop them going. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. What really happened there? Also, he noted that the several pieces of rope which were used in the suspected suicide appeared to be different which might suggest that the death was not caused by suicide. The two men deny murdering Miss Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey. Samyak Choudhary; and Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk and David Miller, 24, of Jersey were bludgeoned to death with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel room late at night on September 15, 2014, on the popular Sairee Beah. Alex was charged with Maggie and Paul's murders days after he was formally disbarred by the South Carolina Supreme Court. 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. It just doesn't go away.". Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. Nick Pearson 2014; Most mainstream media provide only superficial accounts of what has been happening on the island and their published information is often inaccurate and understated the seriousness of the situation. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller koh tao, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo koh tao, dimitri povse koh tao, christina annesley koh tao, Valentina Novozhyonova koh tao, luke miller koh tao, Elise Dallemagne koh tao, Bernd grotsch koh tao, Alexandr Bucspun koh tao, The frightening case of the Trailside Killer David Carpenter, The Yosemite National Park Sightseer Murders and the two faces of evil, The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. Ben Harrington 2012; Investigators had no theory to explain her unexpected stopover on Koh Tao on her way back to the mainland and the capital Bangkok. [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." He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. [10][32] They highlighted a British tourist who had shared a room with Miller as a suspect, labelling it a "crime of passion"; he became the subject of a nationwide manhunt before the police quickly dropped the lead. "[78] Another commentary in the paper stated that the "overwhelming public skepticism stems from the police's longstanding notoriety for arresting poor and powerless scapegoats to save rich criminals who can afford to buy their innocence". However, no toxicology report was conducted. There were no signs he was suicidal. Elise's death is the latest in a string of seven fatalities in three years on the island. Local police claimed he had fallen 50 feet and . Graphic images showing the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on a beach in Koh Tao have been circulating online. 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. The circumstances around his death are a mystery. The family has contested the police version of events. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. 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. Here's a timeline of the other suspicious deaths and disappearances on Koh Tao: On New Year's Day, 2014, before the Miller and Witheridge case first brought infamy to Koh Tao, 25-year-old Brit Nick Pearson was found dead in the water not far from the scene of that subsequent double murder. warriors: come out to play board game; be quiet dark rock pro 4 vs noctua nh-d15; ridgeview road house cursed items; pan seared yellowfin tuna recipes [26][27] However, her clothes were not tested for DNA. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. I 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. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. The authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. Photographs of the bodies . Picture: Facebook DEATH ISLAND VICTIMS REVEALED Christina Annesley, 23, was one of the many young Brits who sadly died in Koh Tao. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. With crystal clear water and stunning greenery, the Thai island of Koh Tao is seen as a backpacker haven. Get email updates with the day's biggest stories. Eight days later when locals living near the island's idyllic Tanote Bay became suspicious of a monitor lizard going back and fourth into the jungle they discovered Elise's half-eaten body on May 27 among rocks behind the Tanote Family Bay Resort. We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". 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. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. The mother told Der Farang magazine that she had been promised an autopsy report - but has still not been delivered. Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; 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. Rockefeller Audio 2022. Ortega, 55, is charged . GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. 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. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. 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". Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); It's dangerous. 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. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. It was revealed yesterday that on April 28 Elise became the latest tourist found dead on the island of Koh Tao. He said that the victim had been drunk to the extent that he was unable to control himself, he would not have been able to tie himself up so tightly that he died of suffocation. But behind paradise lies a grubby underbelly where, according to one report, there are "enough suspicious disappearances to warrant the island its own CSI franchise". He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". The family claimed the circumstances surrounding his death and the local police's refusal to co-operate with them have led them to believe the death is "suspicious". British holidaymaker Christina Annesley, 23, died on the island in January 2015 after apparently mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. [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. a crime scene with a fallen chair and a blood spot in an abandoned room - bloody crime scene photos stock pictures, royalty-free photos & images View of the body of an unidentified homicide victim under a bloody sheet on the beach in Lands End Park, San Francisco, California, August 1973. She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. But although David's family called the verdict 'justice', the trial of the two Burmese migrant workers was plagued by accusations of human rights abuses. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. SUPAPONG CHAOLAN DNA tests have failed to provide a match. [58] Ostensibly, Wai Phyo changed jobs at the end of September and was travelling by boat to Surat Thani for his new job on the day he was arrested. Bernd had also recently separated from his wife, Oey, a Koh Tao native, with whom he had a seven-year-old daughter, Bene, who had been living for the last two years with his sister, Monica, in Germany. Bernds family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said that the authorities told them he had died of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake. 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. Posts on social media said Dallemagne had booked a ticket to Chumphon province, on the mainland, and that her luggage arrived after her death, raising questions of her intentions to take her own life. But . On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. At the end of the trial's third day, the judge said police had informed him all the samples taken on the island were "finished" - meaning they could not be analysed again. [55], The defence claimed that the investigation was flawed due to mishandling of forensic evidence, lack of legal representation during interrogations, use of threats and intimidation to secure a confession, and intimidation of witnesses. 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. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. [44] In December 2014, the suspects were each indicted on five charges: premeditated murder, killing to conceal a criminal offence, rape, illegal entry into Thailand, and staying in the country without permission. koh tao murders crime scene photos Koh Tao - Thai Police - Their scapegoats, Tourist Trade Exposed by Anonymous Greetings world, We are Anonymous. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. Are there serial killers operating on the island, with their crimes apparently insufficiently investigated so that the tourist industry remains protected? He originally moved to the island in the late 1990s but left in 2016 after becoming frustrated with the corruption and hostility towards foreign business owners. I shall post a link to your podcast on my Facebook page. [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. Defense lawyers for the two men later alleged that police had rushed the investigation to . But an unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts - including the one Elise had been staying in. 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. Guardian. The last known video footage of the Russian woman showed her walking to Chaloke Hin Kao bay and never coming back. We won't comment on the trial process. The evidence in the form of this Unendorsed Report would have been ruled as inadmissible in US courts and other Western courts. The country's prime minister, who had been phoning the national police chief daily for updates on the investigation, said "this should not have happened at all, as it will affect Thailand in the eyes of the international community". The family of some of the deceased - including three more Brits - have accused local cops of not investigating the deaths of their loved ones. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. Thai police said a post-mortem examination showed he drowned. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. On February 3, 2003, she was found dead of a gunshot wound in the mansion of famed record-producer Phil Spector. They had no prior criminal records. But, his sister Maria and the family told the BBC they would not rely on what Thai police said as there was still speculation over the circumstances surrounding the death - and that they had received 'different versions' of what might have happened. Defence lawyers had asked for the samples to be independently verified but have now been told there is nothing left of them to re-test. 0. Attempted murder by Thai diving instructor, Santi Khokpool in the Fishbowl Beach Bar, Koh Tao on 28-year-old British tourist on 15 August 2020. Passport photos of David William Miller, and Hannah Victoria Witheridge, both 24, were placed on this memorial on Koh Tao on Wednesday. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. Now their families are demanding answers. They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. Dec. 24, 2015. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were sentenced to death for the killings. 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. The investigation of the Witheridge and Miller slayings was widely criticized as the crime scene was not properly secured, and questions were also raised about subsequent DNA testing. 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