The reporter was forced to leave the country she lived in for 20 years after Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant accusing her of publishing false information and violating the computer crime law.. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? Nick Pearson 2014; "I got him home and they had a proper postmortem - most of his bones were broken but the one bone that wasn't broken was his neck and there was no evidence of his face looking towards his back. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. [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. The autopsy stated he had drowned. Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? DESPITE its flawless beaches and crystal seas, Thailand has earned a deadly reputation after 60 Brits died there between 2014 and 2016 alone. The last known video footage of the Russian woman showed her walking to Chaloke Hin Kao bay and never coming back. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt. While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. Luke Miller 2016; Top Rotherham Self-Guided Tours & Rentals: See reviews and photos of Self-Guided Tours & Rentals in Rotherham, England on Tripadvisor. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? It has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. And on Koh Tao there are around 5,000 Burmese conspicuous by the golden streaks of thanaka paste, a traditional sunscreen and beauty product, garnishing their cheeks who build hotels, sweep. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. Get latest News Information, Articles on Thailand Vs Indonesia Odi Live Streaming Updated on December 27, 2018 19:20 with exclusive Pictures, photos & videos on Thailand Vs Indonesia Odi Live Streaming at Latestly.com - Page 18 Koh tao murders Stock Photos and Images (50) See koh tao murders stock video clips RM 2D0FFR6 - A police searches for clues near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found, on the island of Koh Tao September 19, 2014. The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. The families dont believe a word of the Thai police investigation. https://time.com/3955081/thailand-koh-tao-murder-david-miller-hannah-witheridge-zaw-lin-wai-phyo-burma-myanmar/, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/dark-side-koh-tao-seven-10708561, https://www.strangeoutdoors.com/true-crime-in-the-outdoors/tag/Cases+on+the+Death+Island+of+Koh+Tao, https://www.nist.gov/feature-stories/dna-mixtures-forensic-science-explainer. She added: The families of all the victims are not happy with the police reports, autopsy reports in Thailand dont match autopsy reports in the UK. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. Buy images; Sell images; Lightboxes; 1. Create an account. That is awful. ", The dad added that some of the witnesses they spoke to were "too frightened" to come forward which shows "how the culture is.". The murders on Koh Tao, a laid-back haven for divers, sullied Thailand's image in the tourism industry, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the country's economy. [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. "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. 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. Our kids all died on Koh Tao 'death island' - cops claim they were accidents but we think they were MURDERED Aliki Kraterou Published: 13:58, 19 Mar 2022 Updated: 15:34, 19 Mar 2022 The. 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. Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. It followed her reporting on the case of a British girl who was allegedly raped on the same beach. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. I have created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel dedicated to looking into tourist deaths on Koh Tao. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. We won't comment on the trial process. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. koh tao murders crime scene photos. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. A judge found the workers guilty and sentenced them to death despite questions about DNA evidence and the police handling of the case. June 6, 2021. Date: July 24, 2022. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. 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). On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. (Washington D.C., February 27, 2023) - The Specialized Criminal Court (SCC) in Riyadh, used to prosecute "terrorism" cases in Saudi Arabia, has charged six former prominent SCC judges and four former judges of the High Court, the country's supreme court, with "high treason" - a crime punishable by death in Saudi Arabia - in its first secret hearing of the case on February 16, 2023, said . [1] After initially failing to find a match to one of the migrant workers, the police focused their attention on Western tourists related to the victims. At the time rumours of secret CCTV footage, inconclusive blood samples and a mysterious Swedish man, made Christinas dad suspicious. GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. 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. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. 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. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. The police quickly closed the inquiry, stating that he had drowned whilst swimming. Amnesty International has demanded the Thai authorities investigate the torture allegations after one suspect reportedly said he was beaten and threatened with electrocution. 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. The families have opened up in Sky's new documentary, Death On The Beach, saying they believe Thai police covered up what really happened to their loved ones. They had no prior criminal records. Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. It will take a bit of time to find loopholes to appeal. A coroner ruled in 2017 said that there is "no evidence" to suggest Luke was murdered. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. Thai beach deaths DNA evidence . Owner of Martin Totland Freelance LLC, specializing in event photography, freelance journalism, and Norwegian . She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. Koh Tao is a small and beautiful island in Southern Thailand, approximately 21 km, 30 km north of Koh Phan Gan and about 70 km from the Chumphon town. Bernds family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said that the authorities told them he had died of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake. Some were murdered, some died in suspicious circumstances and some died in avoidable accidents. Koh Tao, Thailand, Serial killers, Unexplained murders WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. The governor of the island said he had instructed the district chief to file criminal charges against the local online news outlet Samui Times in 2017 after it ran an article that questioned the police account of deaths and referred to Koh Tao as Death Island. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 10 July 2015. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Hannah Witheridge and David Miller koh tao, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? "Another one of my sons was there with him, he was absolutely distraught looking at the police just laughing at him. Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . Koh Tao--a small island in the Gulf of Thailand, surrounded by pristine beaches, swathed in sunshine, and a mecca for tourists, divers and backpackers. Both were found dead on the bottom of a swimming pool at a seaside resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani. "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. Thai police are investigating their deaths as . On Tuesday, new details emerged as police investigated the death of a wealthy billionaire industrialist and his wife on Ko Tao last Friday. Hiroshi 2002; Tony Witheridge bowed his head as bloody images of his daughter's body were shown on the third day of the trial of Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". [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. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Koh Tao murders: 'Asian man' seen on CCTV sought for q uestioning Probe into murder of two Britons on Koh Tao Manhunt on Koh Tao after tourists found brutally murdere d on beach British tourists murdered, stripped on Koh Tao beach Topics: Bangkok, Features Join the Coconuts conversation with a comment. A 28-year-old British guy. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. [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. Read about our approach to external linking. The mum of Ben Harrington Pat was never convinced by the local police's explanation that her 32-year-old son broke his neck when he crashed into an electricity pylon on a night-time moped ride in August 2012. The families of Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller are now returning to the UK. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. 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. After unsuccessfully trying to find their possessions, they walked towards Mau Mau's house through the shortcut, which resulted in them being caught on CCTV. New Zealand's Minisrty of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says 185 Kiwis are registered as being in the flood affected areas of Koh Samui and Koh Tao and parts of southern Thailand, including . The father-of-ones family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said at the time they did not believe the authorities' claims that hedied of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake.. After searching, All rights reserved. Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. "As long as I can breathe I will keep trying to find answers.". Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". 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. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. The hearing was told that a post-mortem examination in Thailand showed that Mr Miller had a number of small bruises on his face and legs and gave a cause of death of head injuries and drowning. Thaiger Video Monday, March 7, 2022 Less than a minute We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. Elewana Tortilis camp is situated in the Western part of the Amboseli ecosystem, in the 30.0000-acre Kitirua Conservancy, bordering the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. Samui Times defended its reporting in an online post. Hotels near The Heart of Chechnya Hotels near State Gallery named after A. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). "We identified a person who was with her last and they didn't follow up with them- then we asked for a blood sample and they delayed. The families of the young Brits who mysteriously lost their lives in Koh Tao have vowed to find out the truth and say something dodgy is going on., The grieving families have formed a support group following the death of their children on the Thai island, dubbed death island.. 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 . [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. Why Alex Murdaugh was spared the death penalty, Why Trudeau is facing calls for a public inquiry, The shocking legacy of the Dutch 'Hunger Winter', Why half of India's urban women stay at home. [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. [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. [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. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. Zaw Lin, front, and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun), rear, arrive at the court in Koh Samui, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. "I have no proof that Ben was murdered. The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. 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. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. 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". 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. Yearly, many professional photographers visit this lodge to capture herds of elephants crossing the dry lake in search of water . 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. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. [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". Hannah was also raped in the attack. The evidence in the form of this Unendorsed Report would have been ruled as inadmissible in US courts and other Western courts. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. [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. The court has now been told that vital DNA evidence cannot be retested. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. Hotel owner Rakeshwar Sachathamakul has been found dead along with his wife in a luxury resort on Koh Tao. The Mirror reports that Hannahs family have pleaded for the photos of the pair, who were brutally murdered on a Thailand beach, to be taken off the internet. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. But they were skeptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. 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. A woman Povse had been interested in said he had called her twice on the phone that night but she had not picked up because she had been asleep.
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