[4], The victims of the murders were Hannah Witheridge, a 23-year-old from Hemsby, England, and David Miller, a 24-year-old from Jersey, a Crown Dependency. Bernd's cousin Christina said: ''We cannot accept what the Thai authorities on the island are telling us. 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 authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. [34][35], According to the prosecution in the subsequent case, CCTV footage analysed by the police showed three individuals riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven, where they bought beer and cigarettes, before going towards Sairee Beach. 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. Hannah was raped before she was killed. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Police on the resort island of Koh Tao are investigation the drowning death of a wealth business man and his wife. The images shown to the court were graphic, reports Jonah Fisher in Thailand. 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. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; My YouTube channel is called KOH TAO MURDERS DEATH ISLAND. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. 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? "We'll go with the flow as much as we can. [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. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. 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. "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. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. 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 . 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. Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. [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. 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. "I only had my suspicions, his body came back to me without a wallet or anything on him. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. The two men deny murdering Miss Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey. 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 5am, a few hours after their deaths. 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. If you are interested, I have further information on my social media accounts. I shall post a link to your podcast on my Facebook page. [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. [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". To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. "I have no proof that Ben was murdered. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. Heightened vigilance has been urged for all countries after two new deadly virus cases were detected in humans in China. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. Lightboxes. World put on alert as deadly virus spreads, Hundreds dead in horror cough syrup tragedy. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. Ms Taupin did note however that the document that the prosecution relied upon was an Unendorsed Report in that it had no seal or stamp certifying that it had been produced by an accredited laboratory and in accordance with international standards. Police received the initial report at 4.45pm on Friday. 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.. Nick Pearson 2014; The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. Christina Annesley 2015; But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. 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. koh tao murders crime scene photos. 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. Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. He told the Sun Online: "We want justice. Police investigators have released photographs and clearer video footage of an unidentified man they believe could be a key to resolving the Koh Tao double-murder case and are asking the. 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. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. 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.. 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. Martin Totland Frilans. "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. The autopsy stated he had drowned. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. Death sentences in Koh Tao killings commuted. 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 . 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. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30320196. 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. Thai beach murders: First pictures of British tourists battered to death on island The victims of the attack in Koh Tao have been named as 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge from Great Yarmouth. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. [66], On 24 December 2015, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were found guilty of murdering Witheridge and Miller by the three judges, and were sentenced to death. All times AEDT (GMT +11). The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. 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). We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. Read about our approach to external linking. [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. Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. 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 . Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. The island is small and gifted with loads of hidden gems and completely deserted bays. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. Due to the nature of her passing, our beautiful girl has had little privacy. Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. By. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". [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. 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. Many raised concerns that contamination cast doubt upon the forensic evidence: officials, journalists and tourists were seen walking around the crime scene, and Thai police did not use trained or independent specialists to collect forensic evidence. While his death was ruled as suicide cops could not explain why his hands are tied behind his back. The two men were convicted and sentenced in 2015 and the verdict was upheld by an appeals court in 2017 and the Supreme Court in August 2019. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. Elise Dallemagne 2017; 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. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on . Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; Shelley Bot 2017; 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 . [21][73], The death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment on 14 August 2020 following a royal decree to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and "illustrate the king's clemency". He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". 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". Father weeps at Thai murder photos. The convictions were mired in controversy, with supporters of the two men arguing they had been framed because their initial confessions were made under duress. The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. 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. 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. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. 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. 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. Speaking at the court, Mr Miller's father Ian said he and his wife Sue had come "with an open mind", adding that it had been an emotional time for the family. [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. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. Create an account. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. 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. They also found a suicide note at the scene. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? A millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. It covers an area of about 21 km2. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. Bergen Area, Norway. When Nick Pearson died the police didnt go to his room, they didnt interview anybody. They had no prior criminal records. 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. [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. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt. [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. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". Police and court systems were hacked or taken offline in the following days, and a stash of personal information obtained from the court's servers was posted publicly. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Photograph: Alamy. He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. A backpacker from Belgium, Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanged in the hillson the island on April 28, 2017. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . Tony Witheridge bowed his head as bloody images of. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. Shared On: 28th Dec, 2022. In pictures: Thailand beach murders Show all 12 It has also been claimed that vital DNA evidence linking the two suspects to the death of Miss Witheridge no longer exists - so cannot be retested.. Two of the victims were dismembered and disposed of in plastic bags. From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. A great number of Western backpackers have died under unexplained circumstances on this tiny tropical island in the past years. Luke Miller 2016; "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". [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. We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. 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. Find the perfect agent pastime stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. "[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". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Both were found dead on the bottom of a swimming pool at a seaside resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. Silje Mathisen 2014; Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? In 2018 in Cancn alone, there were 540 murders. Staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. 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. [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. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. 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.