In 2018 in Cancn alone, there were 540 murders. 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. Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. Bernd's cousin Christina said: ''We cannot accept what the Thai authorities on the island are telling us. 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.. Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . Bergen Area, Norway. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. The owner of a 5 star hotel in Phuket and his wife were found dead at the bottom of their hotel swimming pool on the island of Koh Tao on Friday afternoon. 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 . The father-of-ones family in Ingolstadt, Germany, said at the time they did not believe the authorities' claims that hedied of heart failure or had been bitten by a snake.. Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. 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. They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. 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". Heightened vigilance has been urged for all countries after two new deadly virus cases were detected in humans in China. 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. [71], A lawyer for the men, Nakhon Chomphuchat, said "we will appeal as soon as we can, we have just got a copy of the court's verdict. Her mother, Michele claimed that Elise used a fake name of 'Elise Dubuis' to check into the Triple B Bungalows next to Mae Head Pier on Koh Tao. 1. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . I have created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel dedicated to looking into tourist deaths on Koh Tao. 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. Pathologist Dr. Michael Biggs told the hearing that there were many injuries on Nick's body, including to the head, limbs, and face. Available for both RF and RM licensing. 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. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. 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. We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. 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. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. 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. Photograph: Alamy. 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. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. There is an alternative bus and ferry service run by Songserm, which is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. A coroner ruled in 2017 said that there is "no evidence" to suggest Luke was murdered. Burmese migrant workers made up an additional 5,000, around 2,000 of these being illegal immigrants who bribe local police by paying 500 baht each month. 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. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Some were murdered, some died in suspicious circumstances and some died in avoidable accidents. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. 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. 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. It would be impossible, some of the boulders are so big they would have stopped him but he didnt have a single broken bone. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. Hiroshi 2002; Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. DESPITE its flawless beaches and crystal seas, Thailand has earned a deadly reputation after 60 Brits died there between 2014 and 2016 alone. [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. 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. [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. Tony Witheridge bowed his head as bloody images of his daughter's body were shown on the third day of the trial of Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo. [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. They also found a suicide note at the scene. [1] Receiving half a million visitors each year,[1] Koh Tao is especially popular with backpackers and known for its marine life and scuba diving. The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. 92 Visitor. The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. The more I was getting involved, the more I was reporting, the more upset the Thais would get," she added. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. 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. Top Rotherham Self-Guided Tours & Rentals: See reviews and photos of Self-Guided Tours & Rentals in Rotherham, England on Tripadvisor. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. 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. Enterprise. After searching, All rights reserved. Elise Dallemagne 2017; Hannah was raped before she was killed. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: joanromans.com, +49803921568627, +34972573012, +34643318517 Focs i Estufes Romans - Joan Romans Six weeks on . There were apparently no signs of robbery or attack in the room at the hotel where Alexandr had been staying. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on . [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. 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. [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. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is steeped in paradoxes. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. 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. "As long as I can breathe I will keep trying to find answers.". However, no toxicology report was conducted. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. These illegal workers often reside with friends on the island, making it difficult to identify them. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. 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. Find the perfect agent pastime stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. 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. [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". 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 . The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. Elise went 1.5 miles (2.5km) through the jungle to Tanote Bay and took a room at the Poseidon Resort where she booked another ticket for Bangkok leaving on April 24. "We'll go with the flow as much as we can. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. I was told on more than one occasion that I needed to take down this stuff from the paper. koh tao murders crime scene photos. Mr Zaw and Mr Wai (also known as Win Zaw Htun), both 22 and migrants from Myanmar, also known as Burma, were arrested several weeks later. Valentina Novozhenova 2017; Samui Times defended its reporting in an online post. It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . 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. A mistake that many forensic experts say jeopardized the entire investigation.Throughout the investigation and criminal trial, the Thai government and police were heavily criticized by human rights organizations, legal experts, and the media. 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. We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. Koh Tao murders 1 language Sairee Beach The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. They believed he had accidentally drowned and he was thought to have been dead for around 12 hours when his body was retrieved. [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. Police concluded she wanted to break a deep-diving record at more than 24 meters. [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. 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. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. 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. [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". Hannah was also raped in the attack. Also on the list of unexplained tourist deaths are French Dimitri Povse, 29, who was found hanged in a bungalow on New Year's Day 2015. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders. [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. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. The last known video footage of the Russian woman showed her walking to Chaloke Hin Kao bay and never coming back. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. In 2014, Koh Tao was the site of the brutal double murders of two British backpackers, but theirs weren't the only suspicious backpacker deaths. Khao San Lomprayah - 2100 arrives Koh Tao 0845 > check prices for Bangkok to Koha Tao night bus and ferry and book now. 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.. [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". Thailand is one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations with around 35 million visitors each year and promotes itself as the Land of Smiles. The government is sensitive to criticism that could undermine the countrys reputation. My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. 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. 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. Today, we have gotten rid of them.. 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. Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. HARROWING photos of the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. I should add that I was not representing the accused men so I am not presenting arguments on their behalf in any lawyer/client relationship. There were no witnesses. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. 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. 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.