[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. Read about our approach to external linking. Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. Samyak Choudhary; and There were apparently no signs of robbery or attack in the room at the hotel where Alexandr had been staying. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. Hannah Witheridge (left) with a friend was brutally murdered in Thailand. Photo: Royal Thai Police . Ten days after he went missing from Sairee Beach on Koh Tao, the body of Swiss tourist Hans Peter Suter, 44, was washed ashore at Talay Ngam beach in Lang Suan district of Chumphon province on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. Alex was charged with Maggie and Paul's murders days after he was formally disbarred by the South Carolina Supreme Court. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. senseless" photos of the crime scene, they say, which show her body . They raped and killed Hannah, and killed David who was attempting to fight them off. We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. We'll be dignified for David. On Thursday, the New York District Attorney released crime scene photos showing blood spatter and the knife allegedly used by nanny Yoselyn Ortega to kill two young children in her care. 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 . A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; [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. A judge found the workers guilty and sentenced them to death despite questions about DNA evidence and the police handling of the case. 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". [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. But it was in this idyllic setting that their horribly bludgeoned bodies were discovered, their blood seeping into the sand and staining the water. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. 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. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. 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". Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool Grace Beahm Alford/The Post and Courier/Pool Diagram of crime scene. Nicola Gissing, who was also on holiday with Luke when he died, has claimed her friends death was no accident. 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. Try for $0.00. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. The murders on the popular dive island of Koh Tao drew intense media attention from across the world. His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. Defense lawyers for the two men later alleged that police had rushed the investigation to . There were no signs of a struggle or rape or other human DNA. Dubbed 'Death Island', the illusion of a safe haven has since shattered following the brutal deaths of a number of tourists. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. wordlist = ['!', '$.027', '$.03', '$.054/mbf', '$.07', '$.07/cwt', '$.076', '$.09', '$.10-a-minute', '$.105', '$.12', '$.30', '$.30/mbf', '$.50', '$.65', '$.75', '$. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. 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. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. Thai police said a post-mortem examination showed he drowned. 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 defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. 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. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. But no suicide note or message were recovered and Michele is desperate for information surrounding the mysterious death. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. She said: "I would tell them to do everything in their power to stop them going. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. Resting in the Gulf of Thailand, a two-hour ferry ride north of Koh Samui, Koh Tao is best known for its incredible marine life, which over the years has attracted a small but buoyant expat. 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. Bernds family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said that the authorities told them he had died of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake. Hannah was raped before she was killed. Once youve been living there for a while, youll turn a blind eye to some pretty sketchy stuff, says Mike Earley, 30, from New Zealand, who spent six months on the island working as a DJ. Dimitri Povse 2015; But . 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. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. Elise's bags mysteriously appear to have been loaded onto the ferry she was due to take, and arrived at Chumphon province where she should have caught a bus to the capital. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? [47][75][12] Human Rights Watch said the case was "profoundly disturbing" and called for the verdict to be reviewed in a "transparent and fair appeal process". At least eleven European tourists have died or disappeared there since 2014 and it is now described as Death Island or Murder Island. 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. Their parents must be going through hell just like we are and we have been for the last almost two years. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. The victims have been named by Thai authorities as 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge from Great Yarmouth . However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. Ortega, 55, is charged . [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. Blood on the floor of the feedroom where Paul Murdaugh was shot dead. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. Are there serial killers operating on the island, with their crimes apparently insufficiently investigated so that the tourist industry remains protected? Hiroshi 2002; [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. They also found a suicide note at the scene. To narrow down the search and display some truly rare crime scene photographs, all images on this list have been taken by the photographer Weegee the Famous, who rose to prominence in the 1930s and 40s. Ben Harrington 2012; We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". The young backpacker had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat, which neighboured the party island of Koh Phangan, in between travelling round Asia, for two years. [36] Footage near the crime scene also showed one of the three men running into a shortcut. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. He said at the time: "We don't know how or why she died. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Pool photo, 0130 exhibit 29 My name is Suzanne Buchanan. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. The Thaiger 116K subscribers Join Subscribe 712 Share 29K views 10 months ago #thailand #kohtao #thailandtourist We've all heard. 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. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. 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". Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. . Something went wrong, please try again later. 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. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. The . Revealed on Thursday, Elise Dallemange, 30, was found dead in the jungle on the island in April, having been half-eaten by lizards, eight days after she said she was leaving to return to her native home in Belgium. Now their families are demanding answers. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. With crystal clear water and stunning greenery, the Thai island of Koh Tao is seen as a backpacker haven. [15] Public prosecutors initially rejected the report, asking for "certain flaws" to be fixed, more information to be supplied, and for the report to be made "more succinct". One of the most famous Hollywood murders of recent memory was that of Lana Clarkson, the actress and model. Valentina was reported to have been visiting the island to go freediving an activity the area is famed for among backpackers. Hannah Witheridge was seen walking through Koh Tao with a group of friends - all of whom are thought to be British - just hours before being brutally murdered View gallery The 23-year-old is. [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." [31][65] Jane Taupin, an Australian forensic scientist brought in by the defence, claimed that the timeline of DNA extraction was dubious; a rapid analysis of DNA samples had happened in less than 12 hours,[34] which she said was unusual because "extracting DNA from mixed samples was difficult and time-consuming". [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. On February 3, 2003, she was found dead of a gunshot wound in the mansion of famed record-producer Phil Spector. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). [1][15][21], During an hours-long interrogation, during which the police used Burmese food vendors as interpreters[35] because the pair could not speak Thai,[41] the suspects confessed to the murders. 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. Known as Win zaw Htun ) serial killers operating on the island separately on 25 August or rape or human!, Anshoo trial of the country 's Central Institute of forensic Science found that the on., but his family believes he was drunk and fell, but his family accused the Thai police a. 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