At least eleven European tourists have died or disappeared there since 2014 and it is now described as Death Island or Murder Island. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. Two of the victims were dismembered and disposed of in plastic bags. [42][43] The police said the suspects' DNA matched a sample of semen taken from Witheridge's body, and to the hoe and cigarette butts found near the body. "They won't come forward because they know something is going to happen to them," he added. In 2018 in Cancn alone, there were 540 murders. 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. 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. 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. [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". There were no signs he was suicidal. View our online Press Pack. They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. Shelley Bot 2017; It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. 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. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. 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. By. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. A coroner ruled in 2017 said that there is "no evidence" to suggest Luke was murdered. Six weeks on . Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. It would be impossible, some of the boulders are so big they would have stopped him but he didnt have a single broken bone. 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. 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. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Hanspeter Suter 2014; His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. There were no witnesses. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. A great number of Western backpackers have died under unexplained circumstances on this tiny tropical island in the past years. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. 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. Police received the initial report at 4.45pm on Friday. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. 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. 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. [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. However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? 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. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Koh Tao murders 1 language Sairee Beach The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. Samui Times defended its reporting in an online post. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements. 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. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. 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. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 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. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. The families of Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller are now returning to the UK. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. Part of the reason for coming out, was to go to Koh Tao. 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. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. [95] The mayor of the island, Chaiyan Turasakul, announced a new police station and staffed it with 40 full-time officers, compared to five previously. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. 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. An unexplained fire that evening burned down three bamboo huts, including the one Elise had been staying in. British Bricklayer Luke Miller, 26, was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach on January 6, 2016. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. Rockefeller Audio 2022. [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). Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. [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. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. Police on the resort island of Koh Tao are investigation the drowning death of a wealth business man and his wife. 2023 BBC. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. Christina Annesley 2015; Khao San Lomprayah - 2100 arrives Koh Tao 0845 > check prices for Bangkok to Koha Tao night bus and ferry and book now. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. 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 court has now been told that vital DNA evidence cannot be retested. The evidence in the form of this Unendorsed Report would have been ruled as inadmissible in US courts and other Western courts. A judge found the workers guilty and sentenced them to death despite questions about DNA evidence and the police handling of the case. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. [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. Bergen Area, Norway. "We'll go with the flow as much as we can. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. 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. 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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. 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. Here are the names of some of the other outsiders who died on Koh Tao: Ian Jacobs 2000; Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. The country's prime minister, who had been phoning the national police chief daily for updates on the investigation, said "this should not have happened at all, as it will affect Thailand in the eyes of the international community". Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. 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. [42][43] Early police reports said Miller's mobile phone was also found in Zaw Lin's home,[44][45] although the media had previously reported the phone was handed to police by a friend of the victim. The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. That is awful. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. 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. The autopsy stated he had drowned. [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. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. Although Koh Tao is one of the . 8.4K views 2 years ago Dedication to 20 foreigners who died on Koh Tao. Only if they are not beautiful." The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. There have been suspicious reports of hand-sized bruises found on Lukes shoulders. 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. I shall post a link to your podcast on my Facebook page. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. The items were still there are 3 am and he called the police. 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. Get latest News Information, Articles on Thailand Vs Indonesia Live Streaming Updated on December 27, 2018 19:20 with exclusive Pictures, photos & videos on Thailand Vs Indonesia Live Streaming at Latestly.com - Page 18 Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. The police were under pressure to produce results quickly, which affected how they conducted their investigation. Bernd Grotsch 2017; [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. British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. koh tao murders crime scene photos. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Upon arriving at the scene, police officers and rescue workers discovered the bodies of Mr Rakeshwar . [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. 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. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. Hi there! Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. [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 defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. International experts criticized the DNA testing done by the hospital at the time with claims that samples were tampered with in order to falsely incriminate two Burmese workers. 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. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. [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". While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. 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. 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. 10 July 2015. 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". [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. 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Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: joanromans.com, +49803921568627, +34972573012, +34643318517 Focs i Estufes Romans - Joan Romans Hannah Witheridge was seen walking through Koh Tao with a group of friends - all of whom are thought to be British - just hours before being brutally murdered +17 View gallery The 23-year-old. Rocio Gomez; [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. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. [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. These included backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who were found murdered on the . An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. 0 0. [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. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. [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. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. Through their own investigation, and talking to witnesses Mr. Annesley discovered that the room where his daughter was staying was given to someone else "three hours after her body was taken. His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. Martin Totland Frilans. Download videos of River diver on Depositphotos Millions of high-quality, royalty-free stock videos, footage and clips at affordable prices. 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. Yearly, many professional photographers visit this lodge to capture herds of elephants crossing the dry lake in search of water . Silje Mathisen 2014; Enterprise. While his death was ruled as suicide cops could not explain why his hands are tied behind his back. Find the perfect koh tao murder stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Are there serial killers operating on the island, with their crimes apparently insufficiently investigated so that the tourist industry remains protected? 92 Visitor. She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. 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. Death sentences in Koh Tao killings commuted. "As long as I can breathe I will keep trying to find answers.". He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. [26][27] However, her clothes were not tested for DNA. Cart. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop on New Years Day 2014. 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. [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." Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. 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. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); 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 . This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. [51] The defence provided a separate explanation for the events on the night.
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