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. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements. [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. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. "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 trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. CTN News. 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. 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 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. 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. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. Due to the nature of her passing, our beautiful girl has had little privacy. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. [1][15][16] Miller's body was found floating in the water, and Witheridge's on the beach;[17] the bodies lay approximately 20 metres apart and 30 metres away from their hotel (Ocean View Bungalows). [31] Media reports speculated that was because the defence was wary of calling on foreign experts fearing it could appear as undermining the Thai justice system, and could bias the judges against their case. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. He had recently returned to the island after building up a motorbike rental business. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. In accepting the 2nd retrial plea, sought by the family of Hiromu Sakahara, who died of illness aged 75 while serving his term in 2011, the Osaka High Court said . [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. [39] Following an interrogation, during which police say Zaw Lin admitted he had entered the country illegally, Zaw Lin was arrested and his clothes and motorcycle were seized as evidence. (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. [42][48] Amnesty International stated that Thailand "must initiate an independent, effective and transparent investigation into mounting allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by police". Here are the names of some of the other outsiders who died on Koh Tao: Ian Jacobs 2000; [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. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. Thailand is one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations with around 35 million visitors each year and promotes itself as the Land of Smiles. The government is sensitive to criticism that could undermine the countrys reputation. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. 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". [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. "I have no proof that Ben was murdered. On Thursday the 29 th of August 2019, the Supreme Court of Thailand handed down its decision to uphold the death penalties for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, the Burmese migrant workers found guilty of the rape and murder of British holidaymaker Hannah Witheridge and the murder of fellow countryman David Miller in September 2014 on Koh Tao in Thailand. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. 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. While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Photo from Sept 15 showing a police officer questioning Christopher Alan Ware, who has re-emerged as a leading suspect in the murder of a young British man and woman on Koh Tao on Monday in. Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. While police claimed that she hanged herself, mystery surrounded her death, as it was revealed she used a fake name at the hostel she was staying. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. 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. "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. 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.. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is steeped in paradoxes. He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. There have been suspicious reports of hand-sized bruises found on Lukes shoulders. Rocio Gomez; On Tuesday, new details emerged as police investigated the death of a wealthy billionaire industrialist and his wife on Ko Tao last Friday. Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. UK reporter Suzanne Buchanan has thoroughly investigated the cases alongside the deaths of Belgian Elise Dellemange, Swiss Hans Peter Suter and French Dimitri Povse -who also were also found dead under mysterious circumstances. Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. None of the families believe that the way the police said they died is actually how they died and they are all very unhappy with the investigation. 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. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! There were no signs he was suicidal. 1. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. 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). [36] Footage near the crime scene also showed one of the three men running into a shortcut. The evidence in the form of this Unendorsed Report would have been ruled as inadmissible in US courts and other Western courts. "They did a visual post-mortem - just by looking at him they said he died of a broken neck and that his face was looking towards his back. [1][96], Although tourist arrivals to Koh Tao dropped in the months immediately following the murders, there was little lasting effect on tourism to the island.[92]. 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. A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. 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. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. The university graduate, who was two weeks into a four-month backpacking trip round South East Asia, was found dead on her bungalow in January 2015. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. [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. 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. It would be impossible, some of the boulders are so big they would have stopped him but he didnt have a single broken bone. View our online Press Pack. We are here for David because of his tragic death. The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. 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. [48][35] A 900-page police report was produced to guide the prosecution's case, but the defence were not allowed to see the report until the trial began. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. It has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. 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. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . Owner of Martin Totland Freelance LLC, specializing in event photography, freelance journalism, and Norwegian . [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. For other inquiries, Contact Us. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. Lightboxes. Both were found dead on the bottom of a swimming pool at a seaside resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani. British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found dead Monday, September 15, on a beach in Koh Tao, a popular resort island in Thailand. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: joanromans.com, +49803921568627, +34972573012, +34643318517 Focs i Estufes Romans - Joan Romans 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. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); [77], An opinion piece in Bangkok Post wrote that "practically no one believes [Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo] really brutally murdered English tourists", adding "in Thai media of all kinds, the consensus is that Win and Zaw Lin are scapegoats. 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. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. Some 200 children have died in one nation after taking toxic cough syrups. A. Kadyrov Hotels near Museum of the Chechen Republic Hotels near The Flower Park Hotels near Visit Chechnya Hotels near Grozny City Observation Deck Hotels near Church of Archangel Michael Hotels near Makhmud Esambayev Avenue Hotels near Museum of Akhmat Khadzhy Kadyrov Hotels near Monument to the Fighters of the . Find the perfect koh tao murder stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Cart. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. [72] The Supreme Court of Thailand upheld the sentence in August 2019, stating that the police handled the case correctly and the forensic evidence was "clear, credible, and detailed". [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. 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". Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. 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. After searching, All rights reserved. The bungalow is 50ft above the ocean, theres nothing but massive granite boulders between his bungalow and the ocean so how did he managed to tumble all the way down there? However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. The authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. koh tao murders crime scene photos. For example, she discovered that one of the DNA labs that conducted tests at the time only had accreditation to do paternity tests and not criminal profiling in a capital murder case. They told me 'you need to stop reporting on it if you want to stay here, they are getting fed up with you now, No one put a gun to my head but I was told by multiple sources that if I didnt stop reporting on it thered be trouble- it wasnt safe for me anymore.". 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. 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. The owner of a 5 star hotel in Phuket and his wife were found dead at the bottom of their hotel swimming pool on the island of Koh Tao on Friday afternoon. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. [79] Rumours began to circulate, with residents on the island saying the island is controlled by a mafia who "have information about the true culprits", and claimed that the police is covering for them. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. At the time rumours of secret CCTV footage, inconclusive blood samples and a mysterious Swedish man, made Christinas dad suspicious. Thai police are investigating their deaths as . For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The families are not satisfied with the investigation by the Thai authorities, Christina Annesley was found dead on the beach in January 2015, Thai authorities said Ben Harrington,32, died when he crashed during a moped ride, The families have not been satisfied with the investigation of the Thai authorities, Luke Miller was found dead at the bottom of a pool, Elise Dallemange was found dead in the jungle in Koh Tao, The Curse of the turtle was released earlier this month, Bernd Grotsch from Germany was found dead at his house in Koh Tao, Valentina Novozhyonova vanished from her hostel, Suzanne Buchanan is determined to find out the truth about Koh Tao, Our kids all died on Koh Tao death island cops claim they were accidents but we think they were MURDERED, Headteacher sacked 'after sending parents a list of striking teachers' as school launches probe, Isle of Innisfree ferry: Blaze breaks out on boat carrying 183 people in English Channel as lifeboats scramble to scene.