WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". Some were murdered, some died in suspicious circumstances and some died in avoidable accidents. He told the Sun Online: "We want justice. Two migrant workers from Myanmar on death row for the 2014 murder of two British backpackers on Koh Tao have had their sentences commuted to life in . "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. 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. 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. 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.. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". 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. [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. Shared On: 28th Dec, 2022. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. [47][75][12] Human Rights Watch said the case was "profoundly disturbing" and called for the verdict to be reviewed in a "transparent and fair appeal process". Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . 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. [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. 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. We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. 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. 0 0. We are here for David because of his tragic death. [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". 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 They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. Hotel owner Rakeshwar Sachathamakul has been found dead along with his wife in a luxury resort on Koh Tao. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. 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. 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. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. Yoshie Sazawa (Sharlyn) 2004; The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. Hanspeter Suter 2014; Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. Shelley Bot 2017; [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. 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? 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. 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! [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. 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". There is an alternative bus and ferry service run by Songserm, which is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. ", The dad added that some of the witnesses they spoke to were "too frightened" to come forward which shows "how the culture is.". 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. Rockefeller Audio 2022. The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. The island is small and gifted with loads of hidden gems and completely deserted bays. The coroner concluded there was not enough evidence to say where or how he met his death. "[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". The Samui Times believes that it is in the best interests of any visitor to the island to be aware of the numerous tourist deaths and the fact that many families of those who died on the island are not satisfied with police investigations.. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. [51] The defence provided a separate explanation for the events on the night. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. My YouTube channel is called KOH TAO MURDERS DEATH ISLAND. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. Today, we have gotten rid of them.. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. 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. Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive. Two of the victims were dismembered and disposed of in plastic bags. Bernds family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said that the authorities told them he had died of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake. Download videos of River diver on Depositphotos Millions of high-quality, royalty-free stock videos, footage and clips at affordable prices. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. The Mirror reports that Hannahs family have pleaded for the photos of the pair, who were brutally murdered on a Thailand beach, to be taken off the internet. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). "There was no compassion at all- he had to go down to identify the body which he couldn't do and while he was sitting there the police were just laughing. Verdicts in the case are not expected until October. Police on the resort island of Koh Tao are investigation the drowning death of a wealth business man and his wife. 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. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. [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. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. [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. Silje Mathisen 2014; CTN News. [72] The Supreme Court of Thailand upheld the sentence in August 2019, stating that the police handled the case correctly and the forensic evidence was "clear, credible, and detailed". There were no witnesses. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. (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 . 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). How long have Keir Starmer and Sue Gray been secretly cooking up their plot? Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. Date: July 24, 2022. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. 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. Yearly, many professional photographers visit this lodge to capture herds of elephants crossing the dry lake in search of water . Nationwide News Pty Ltd 2023. Enterprise. He had entered the country on September 26, 2018, before traveling to the island, where stayed at the Monsoon Gym and Fight Club. 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? [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. Exclusive location in the Kitirua Conservancy. 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. [31][65] Jane Taupin, an Australian forensic scientist brought in by the defence, claimed that the timeline of DNA extraction was dubious; a rapid analysis of DNA samples had happened in less than 12 hours,[34] which she said was unusual because "extracting DNA from mixed samples was difficult and time-consuming". 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. [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 had been traveling around Asia for two years, and before her death had been living at a yoga and tantra retreat on Koh Phangan. 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. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". The last known video footage of the Russian woman showed her walking to Chaloke Hin Kao bay and never coming back. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. However, no toxicology report was conducted. "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. 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. Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. [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. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop on New Years Day 2014. The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. [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. She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. Four months later, eight bodies were found after a cartel murder spree. The two men deny murdering Miss Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. While his death was ruled as suicide cops could not explain why his hands are tied behind his back. Pol Lt Gen Thanate Pinmuangngam, acting chief of Police Region 8, said In the Dallemagne case, the cause of death was suffocation. 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. 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. 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. 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. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . June 6, 2021. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. 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. [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. The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. David Miller 2014; [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders. He had recently returned to the island after building up a motorbike rental business. [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. 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. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. [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". Hannah Witheridge and David Miller koh tao, The horrific rape and murder of Sophie Louise Hook whilst camping in her Uncle's garden, The miracle rescue of Alan Lee Phillips at Colorados Guanella Pass - the man who turned out to be a serial killer, The chilling story of Thomas Lee Dillon - the Ohio Outdoorsmen killer, The miraculous escape of the Brazilian and German backpackers at Salt Creek in South Australia, Robert Hansen Butcher Baker - the Alaska Serial killer who hunted his victims in the wilderness, The shocking unsolved Keddie Cabin murders, The disturbing death of Fiona Torbet in the Scottish highlands, The unsolved Williams and Winans camping murders in Shenandoah National Park, The real Wolf Creek - The Backpacker Murders in the Australian Outback, The disturbing story of David Shearing and the Wells Gray Park camping murders, The mysterious death of Carol Laughlin in Yosemite National Park, The disturbing disappearance of the Beaumont children on Glenelg Beach, The Kamloops Triangle - The British Columbia murders and disappearances, The Delphi hiking murders - Abigail Williams and Liberty German, The Peter Falconio disappearance in the Australian Outback, The unsolved murder of Scott Lilly on the Appalachian trail, The disturbing case of James Jordan - The Appalachian Trail Murderer. Here are the names of some of the other outsiders who died on Koh Tao: Ian Jacobs 2000; To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? [7][12], Miller and Witheridge were last seen at a bar called AC Bar[13] with friends at a party on Sunday night with around 50 people mostly foreign tourists before they left together after 1am. 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. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. All times AEDT (GMT +11). [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. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. [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.
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