The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. [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. The Koh Samui Provincial Court has set 24 December as the date to deliver its judgement on two Myanmar men, Zaw Lin and Zaw Ein Htun (aka Wai Phyo), who are accused of murdering two British tourists on Thailand's Koh Tao Island on September 15 last year. 0 0. [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. World put on alert as deadly virus spreads, Hundreds dead in horror cough syrup tragedy. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! [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". GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. [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. "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. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. Photograph: Alamy. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. The bricklayer from Newport, Isle of Wight, was found at the bottom of the pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach in January 2016. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. [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. 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. 8.4K views 2 years ago Dedication to 20 foreigners who died on Koh Tao. [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. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. 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". Ben Harrington 2012; His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? 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. News back pack murders in koh tao 2014 koh tao koh tao island mystery news in Thailand Thaiger news thailand thailand crime Thailand News thailand tourist thailand tourist . DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. 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. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. 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. "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. 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. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Koh Tao Murders: No DNA match with Warot in first test results By Coconuts Bangkok Oct 31, 2014 | 5:40pm Bangkok time Preliminary results today found no link between Warot Tuwichian and DNA police say was collected from the scene of two murders on Koh Tao last month. He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". Also on the list of unexplained tourist deaths are French Dimitri Povse, 29, who was found hanged in a bungalow on New Year's Day 2015. 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. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. I was told on more than one occasion that I needed to take down this stuff from the paper. 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. British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. "So my suspicions are that it was a mugging that went wrong. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. [37] Two weeks after the bodies were found, on 1 October 2014, police interrogated Mau Mau, who said he took the motorcycle and separated from the other two men before the murders occurred, and found them both home asleep by the time he had returned. Only if they are not beautiful." 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. September 23, 2014 5:57 AM EDT T he brutal murder of British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, on the Thai resort island of Koh Tao, has reverberated around the world.. Shelley Bot 2017; That is awful. 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. Their explanations as to why these kids have died just dont add up- you dont have to be a pathologist or a doctor to know what weve been told is nonsensical.. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on . The items were still there are 3 am and he called the police. 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. Allegations about police brutality rocked the countrys economy that almost solely relies on tourism. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. Dark side of Koh Tao: The seven tourists found dead on Thailand's 'murder island' after backpacker 'eaten by lizards' Koh Tao was plunged into the spotlight when the semi-naked bodies of. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. 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. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. Bernds family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said that the authorities told them he had died of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake. Buchanan who left Thailand in 2016 after receiving death threats for her reporting, reached out to the victims' families and formed a support group. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. 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. They also found a suicide note at the scene. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Four months later, eight bodies were found after a cartel murder spree. [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. By. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. Shared On: 28th Dec, 2022. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. But they were skeptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. 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). But, he said that most of these would have been present prior to his death, although he could not completely rule out the possibility that Nick had been attacked. 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. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. My YouTube channel is called KOH TAO MURDERS DEATH ISLAND. Luke Miller 2016; 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. Death sentences in Koh Tao killings commuted. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. The hoe was then used to knock Witheridge unconscious, after which the defendants used force to hold her down and took turns raping her, before killing her with the hoe. 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. Elise Dallemagne 2017; Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. BBC correspondent Jonah Fisher said Miss Witheridge's father and brother sat with their heads bowed as the evidence was presented in court but continued listening. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. There is an alternative bus and ferry service run by Songserm, which is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. 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. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. 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. Burmese migrant workers made up an additional 5,000, around 2,000 of these being illegal immigrants who bribe local police by paying 500 baht each month. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. They suggested that she mixed antibiotics with alcohol- as much as that would make the antibiotics less efficient or make you feel bad, its not going to kill you. Bernd's cousin Christina said: ''We cannot accept what the Thai authorities on the island are telling us. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 2023 BBC. 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 10 July 2015. 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. Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. Suter had been a regular snorkeler and his death was totally unexplained. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. Six weeks on . In 2014, Koh Tao was the site of the brutal double murders of two British backpackers, but theirs weren't the only suspicious backpacker deaths. "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. 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. [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. He had entered the country on September 26, 2018, before traveling to the island, where stayed at the Monsoon Gym and Fight Club. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; 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. 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 . "They won't come forward because they know something is going to happen to them," he added. The authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is steeped in paradoxes. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. Koh Tao ''Turtle Island'' or Ko Tao is an island in Thailand and is part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Hannah Witheridge 2014; She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. Rockefeller Audio 2022. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. [85][15][86] Prayut said that British and Burmese government representatives were "limited to observation" and had to "respect our processes". [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, "This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao", "Links revealed between police and migrants on Koh Tao", "Police: Still no suspect in killings of Britons on idyllic Thai island", "Thai king commutes death sentence of UK pair's killers", "Thailand: Hannah Witheridge 'raped by two men before being killed', "Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short", "Thailand murders: Victims' families talk of senseless killings", "Hannah Witheridge's family pay tribute to "beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman", "British backpackers murdered in Thailand named as Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand murders: Amnesty International call for police torture probe", Koh Samui Provincial Court No. And the same goes for Luke Millers mum Sara Cotton. Aug 2014 - Dec 20217 years 5 months. 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. The former founder of the Samui Times suggests in her new book The curse of the Turtle, released earlier this month by WildBlue Press, that something fishy is going on on that island., She challenges the validity of the investigations conducted by the Thai police claiming she has a lot of evidence and speaks of powerful local families running the island without having to comply with any laws. Thailands prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, questioned the attire and behavior of foreign female tourists shortly after the killing of two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island in 2014. "I have no proof that Ben was murdered. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? 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. He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". He was travelling Southeast Asia with a friend after completing a six-week work placement in Australia with a mining company,[6][8][9] and arrived in Thailand in August. [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." With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. "[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". About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. 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. The DNA analysis in the case, which was not subject to independent oversight or verification, was provided to the court as a one-page summary with four supporting pages, some of it handwritten with amendments. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. Although Koh Tao is one of the . All times AEDT (GMT +11). [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. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? [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. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. [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. CTN News. 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? [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. And at least six young Brits have all died in suspicious circumstances on the small island of Koh Tao, leading their loved ones to label it "Death Island". 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. 2145/2559, "Two British tourists found dead on Thai island of Koh Tao", "Suspects in Thai Tourist Murders Face Dubious Trial", "Manhunt underway after brutal murder of 2 British tourists on Koh Tao", "Thailand's paradise island murder mystery", "What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side", "Thailand's Supreme Court upholds death penalty for men convicted of murdering British backpackers", "Koh Tao DNA evidence & international standards", "Thai court upholds death penalty for murder of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death", "Thailand beach murders: A flawed and muddled investigation", "Koh Tao murders: DNA matches, confessions obtained, crime re-enacted", "Hearings Open Into Killings of Two British Tourists on Thai Island (Published 2014)", "Thai king commutes death sentence for Myanmar men in British tourist murder case", "Burmese men confess to killing British tourists on Koh Tao, Thai police say", "The Investigation Into Thailand's Backpacker Slayings Is Officially a Farce", "Migrants accused of murder of British couple in Thailand recant confessions", "Thai Dictator Faces Ire Over Murder Probe", "Koh Tao murder suspects plead not guilty", "Burmese pair to be executed for murder of British tourists on Koh Tao, Thailand", "2 Sentenced to Death in Killing of British Tourists in Thailand (Published 2015)", "Thailand murders: Two men found guilty and face death for UK killings", "Thai beach murders: Convicted men lose death sentence appeal", "Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court", "Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency", "Koh Tao pair claim they were tortured before confessing", "Thai beach murders: DNA investigation into death of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller 'incompetent at best', "Koh Tao murders: suspects in killing of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge say they were framed", "Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered", "Thai Paradise Gains Reputation as 'Death Island', "Foreign Office calls in Thai diplomat over murder inquiry concerns", "Thailand murder suspects can't have British police report: UK judge", "Thai officials on alert as Myanmar protests spread", "Prayut lashes out at Myanmar Koh Tao protestors", "Thailand's Migrant Worker Woes Exposed in Koh Tao Murder Case", "Govt vows "high-tech" defence against hackers", "Island killings prompt stiffer worker rules", "Contesting narratives: the Koh Tao tourists murders", "Unofficial translation of Koh Samui Provincial Court No.
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