She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. We won't comment on the trial process. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. 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. 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. Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Samyak Choudhary; and Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to 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. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. 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. What really happened there? Hannah was raped before she was killed. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. Some 200 children have died in one nation after taking toxic cough syrups. We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. 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. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. 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. Mr Zaw and Mr Wai (also known as Win Zaw Htun), both 22 and migrants from Myanmar, also known as Burma, were arrested several weeks later. They followed the animal and discovered that it had been feeding on Elise's remains, which were found among rocks behind the Tanote Family Bay Resort. As we continue with our plans for our beautiful Hannahs party, our thoughts are with David Millers family who are suffering the same indescribable agony. The families dont believe a word of the Thai police investigation. HARROWING photos of the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. Chrissie's heartbroken dad Boyne Annesley started investigating more deaths in Koh Tao. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. But they were skeptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. By. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. An English human rights activist by the name of Andy Hall asked me to put him in touch with the Melbourne forensic expert, Jane Taupin which I did. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. "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. In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. "[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". "As long as I can breathe I will keep trying to find answers.". 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. (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 . 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. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. [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. A 28-year-old British guy. I am a legal practitioner in Perth, Western Australia who has been following events on Koh Tao very closely since the time of the murders of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on 15 September 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. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. Nick Pearson 2014; [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. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. Koh Tao Murder - Thai Police, their scapegoats and tourist trade - Exposed by AnonymousThis video goes into the deep facts of the recent Koh Tao Island murder of David Miller and Hannah. [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. A Japanese high court approved Monday a posthumous retrial for a man who was convicted of murdering a 69-year-old woman in 1984 in western Japan, upholding a lower court's decision. [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. The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving. We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. [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. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. The court has now been told that vital DNA evidence cannot be retested. Now their families are demanding answers. Samui Times defended its reporting in an online post. 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. [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. The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. 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. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/6729031/thailand-koh-tao-island-dad-dead-mystery/, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-30546787, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/09/17/sister-murdered-backpacker-hannah-witheridge-dies-falling-gravely/, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-53797951, https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1282946/police-clarify-koh-tao-death-cases, https://forum.thaivisa.com/topic/1047575-death-island-riddle%C2%A0-koh-tao-mystery-deepens-as-%E2%80%98healthy%E2%80%99-dad-becomes-tenth-westerner-to-die-in-suspicious-circumstances/, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4680394/Haunting-final-image-Koh-Tao-backpacker-Thai-hang-suicide.html, https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thailands-death-island-tourist-33-13399601, https://www.chiangraitimes.com/crime-chiang-rai-thailand/body-of-moldavian-tourist-found-dead-in-sea-off-the-island-koh-tao-sent-to-bangkok-for-thorough-autopsy/, https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/443983/suter-hanspeter-body-found-on-beach-in-chumphon-thailand, Koh Tao Murders, Suspicious Deaths, Fatal Accidents Tribute to 20 Foreigners Tony Lotus & 1Survivor, Tagged: Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise, Cases on the Death Island of Koh Tao, nick pearson koh tao death, The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. "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. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . 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. 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. The suspects however have withdrawn their confessions to the murders and claimed Thai police forced the admissions through torture. "So my suspicions are that it was a mugging that went wrong. It was said the pair went swimming on the same beach earlier that night, and when they got out of the water they found their clothes had disappeared. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". [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. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. "They won't come forward because they know something is going to happen to them," he added. 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. Therefore, we would like to take this opportunity to ask that Hannah be allowed a well-deserved day of privacy on Friday whilst we join her many friends in a celebration of her life.. 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. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". It followed her reporting on the case of a British girl who was allegedly raped on the same beach. About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. [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. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. [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". 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. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? Top Rotherham Self-Guided Tours & Rentals: See reviews and photos of Self-Guided Tours & Rentals in Rotherham, England on Tripadvisor. Police received the initial report at 4.45pm on Friday. I just listened to your full podcast about Koh Tao with considerable interest. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. . 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. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". [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. 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. Or is Koh Tao just unlucky for visitors or is there something more sinister happening on the beautiful Thai island and haven for Scuba divers? [1] Police revealed that the samples from Witheridge's body were used up,[62][27] but were able to provide DNA samples from the murder weapon. Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. "Thai courts make little allowance for the feelings of relatives," he said. Murder of two backpackers on the island of Koh Tao SAIREE BEACH, KOH TAO, THAILAND - SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 British tourists Hannah Witheridge (23 years old) and David Miller (24 years old) enjoyed their holiday in Thailand on the famous island of Koh Tao. [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. [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. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/world/asia/thailand-koh-tao-death-island.html#:~:text=But%20among%20some%20foreigners%2C%20Koh,began%20calling%20it%20Death%20Island.&text=She%20accused%20the%20police%20of,up%20crime%20on%20the%20island. 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. The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. 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 . What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? There were no signs he was suicidal. Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. Dimitri Povse 2015; German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive.
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