The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. 10 July 2015. 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. We are here for David because of his tragic death. 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 . Bernd had also recently separated from his wife, Oey, a Koh Tao native, with whom he had a seven-year-old daughter, Bene, who had been living for the last two years with his sister, Monica, in Germany. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. Hi there! [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. [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. What really happened there? Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. [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. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Are there serial killers operating on the island, with their crimes apparently insufficiently investigated so that the tourist industry remains protected? 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. "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. Thai police say the man on the left matches the one seen acting suspiciously on CCTV A Scottish man is being kept in protective custody in Thailand after a photo he took could identify the murderer. 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. [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). [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. Martin Totland Frilans. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. Hanspeter Suter 2014; With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. "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. Friends and family remain suspicious of the police investigation and the insistence that Dimitri committed suicide, especially as his hands were tied behind his back. He had recently returned to the island after building up a motorbike rental business. 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. It covers an area of about 21 km2. [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. Today, we have gotten rid of them.. Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. DESPITE its flawless beaches and crystal seas, Thailand has earned a deadly reputation after 60 Brits died there between 2014 and 2016 alone. Both were found dead on the bottom of a swimming pool at a seaside resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. The family has contested the police version of events. 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 We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . There were no signs of a struggle or rape or other human DNA. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. 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. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. That is awful. 2023 BBC. [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. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Read about our approach to external linking. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". 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.. Although both of his hands were tied behind the back, the police said he could have done this himself as the rope was tied to one hand and a loop was made so the other hand could be inserted. Some were murdered, some died in suspicious circumstances and some died in avoidable accidents. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . "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. Police received the initial report at 4.45pm on Friday. They told me 'you need to stop reporting on it if you want to stay here, they are getting fed up with you now, No one put a gun to my head but I was told by multiple sources that if I didnt stop reporting on it thered be trouble- it wasnt safe for me anymore.". 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. About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. I was good friends with a few and they were all restaurant/bar owners. "Another one of my sons was there with him, he was absolutely distraught looking at the police just laughing at him. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. 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. Although Koh Tao is one of the . 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. "Thai courts make little allowance for the feelings of relatives," he said. [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. GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Death sentences in Koh Tao killings commuted. He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. Resting in the Gulf of Thailand, a two-hour ferry ride north of Koh Samui, Koh Tao is best known for its incredible marine life, which over the years has attracted a small but buoyant expat. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. The evidence in the form of this Unendorsed Report would have been ruled as inadmissible in US courts and other Western courts. Thai police are investigating their deaths as . But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. 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. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. 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 head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. [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". We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. They had no prior criminal records. [54] They argued that the defendants intended to kill Miller, using a hoe to hit him multiple times on the head. 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 weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. 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. "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; Amnesty International has demanded the Thai authorities investigate the torture allegations after one suspect reportedly said he was beaten and threatened with electrocution. Buchanan told the Sun Online: They all died in really mysterious circumstances- the Thai version of Christina Annesleys death was that she died of natural causes, she's 23! Elewana Tortilis camp is situated in the Western part of the Amboseli ecosystem, in the 30.0000-acre Kitirua Conservancy, bordering the Amboseli National Park in Kenya. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Available for both RF and RM licensing. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. 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. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. 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. Now their families are demanding answers. Theres a disproportionate amount of suspicious deaths on that island- and the link is that none of the families believe the police investigation or the information theyve been given. The more I was getting involved, the more I was reporting, the more upset the Thais would get," she added. New Zealand's Minisrty of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says 185 Kiwis are registered as being in the flood affected areas of Koh Samui and Koh Tao and parts of southern Thailand, including . (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 . And the same goes for Luke Millers mum Sara Cotton. The island of Koh Tao, off the coast of Thailand, is often described as a paradise. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . Some 200 children have died in one nation after taking toxic cough syrups. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. 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. The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. 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? Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thai. The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. Aran Klaewklong, a security guard from Big Blue Diving shop, told police he found a mobile phone, clothes, a hotel key, shoes and an ID on the beach at 1.30 am during a beach patrol. Create an account. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. Defence lawyers had asked for the samples to be independently verified but have now been told there is nothing left of them to re-test. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. CTN News. 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. Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. Top Rotherham Self-Guided Tours & Rentals: See reviews and photos of Self-Guided Tours & Rentals in Rotherham, England on Tripadvisor. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. Police major general, Surachate Hakparn, said in an interview that the police have cracked down on crime syndicates on Koh Tao since the backpackers double killing. Available for both RF and RM licensing. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. 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. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16, but failed to do so. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. 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. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. 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. In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailands island of Koh Tao. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. 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. HARROWING photos of the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. 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. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. Cart. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? Find the perfect agent pastime stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. [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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Only if they are not beautiful." [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. Nick Pearson 2014; [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. [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. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. 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. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. 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.

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