The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. Aug 2014 - Dec 20217 years 5 months. An English human rights activist by the name of Andy Hall asked me to put him in touch with the Melbourne forensic expert, Jane Taupin which I did. The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. [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. 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. 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.". My Facebook page is called KOH TAO DEATH ISLAND. As the Witheridge family prepares for Hannahs funeral, her parents, Sue and Tony Witheridge, released this statement: Time makes the pain of this horrendous tragedy no easier to bear. The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. It is always challenging to bring ACCURATE & RELIABLE information about violent crime on Koh Tao because too many people are frightened to speak out publicly and still others try to SHOOT THE MESSENGERS . Constance Marten seen leaving court after appearing before magistrates charged with manslaughter of baby, Constance Marten and Mark Gordon blow each other a kiss in dock before court hears dead baby was found in bag in shed, Mum identified after dead baby is found on Canford Heath, Thai police covered up what really happened, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. "So my suspicions are that it was a mugging that went wrong. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. Both were found dead on the bottom of a swimming pool at a seaside resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani. [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. Two of the victims were dismembered and disposed of in plastic bags. 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. Regional Surat Thani governor Chatpong Chatphum said the Koh Tao murders had dealt a serious blow to tourism. "Thai courts make little allowance for the feelings of relatives," he said. [44] In December 2014, the suspects were each indicted on five charges: premeditated murder, killing to conceal a criminal offence, rape, illegal entry into Thailand, and staying in the country without permission. "[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". 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. 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. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/03/world/asia/thailand-koh-tao-death-island.html#:~:text=But%20among%20some%20foreigners%2C%20Koh,began%20calling%20it%20Death%20Island.&text=She%20accused%20the%20police%20of,up%20crime%20on%20the%20island. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [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. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. [1], A defence team from Bangkok, composed of nearly 20 lawyers, were only permitted half an hour to meet the men; a request by the defence to delay the hearing and allow more time to prepare was denied by a judge at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. She was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. Thaiger Video Monday, March 7, 2022 Less than a minute We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. However, a lawyer for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo told the BBC that the pair had not admitted their guilt when their death sentences were commuted. The convictions were mired in controversy, with supporters of the two men arguing they had been framed because their initial confessions were made under duress. The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. koh tao murders crime scene photos. 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. Hiroshi 2002; [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. At the time rumours of secret CCTV footage, inconclusive blood samples and a mysterious Swedish man, made Christinas dad suspicious. GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. Zaw Lin, front, and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun), rear, arrive at the court in Koh Samui, AOC under investigation for Met Gala dress, Mother who killed her five children euthanised, Bakhmut attacks still being repelled, says Ukraine, Zoom boss Greg Tomb fired without cause, Alex Murdaugh jailed for life for double murder, The children left behind in Cuba's exodus. 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. [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. On Thursday the 29 th of August 2019, the Supreme Court of Thailand handed down its decision to uphold the death penalties for Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, the Burmese migrant workers found guilty of the rape and murder of British holidaymaker Hannah Witheridge and the murder of fellow countryman David Miller in September 2014 on Koh Tao in Thailand. Lightboxes. 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. [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". [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. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Creepy There is a big chance you will fall in love with this little paradise. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. Nick's mother Tracy Pearson, told Derby and South Derbyshire Coroner's Court in the U.K., she had "a gut feeling there was foul play". Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? 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. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. They had no prior criminal records. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. While his death was ruled as suicide cops could not explain why his hands are tied behind his back. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. [1][15][21], During an hours-long interrogation, during which the police used Burmese food vendors as interpreters[35] because the pair could not speak Thai,[41] the suspects confessed to the murders. Only if they are not beautiful." [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. Some were murdered, some died in suspicious circumstances and some died in avoidable accidents. 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. 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. There is an alternative bus and ferry service run by Songserm, which is the cheapest way to get from Bangkok to Koh Tao. 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? 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. [1][96], Although tourist arrivals to Koh Tao dropped in the months immediately following the murders, there was little lasting effect on tourism to the island.[92]. [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. 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . 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. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop on New Years Day 2014. Due to the nature of her passing, our beautiful girl has had little privacy. 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 has long had a reputation as a home for organized crime, corruption and as a place where the police protected local interests. It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. 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. She added: "They didn't do any investigation at all. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. His body was found at the beach at the Hillside Resort on Koh Tao, on January 1, 2014. 10 July 2015. 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. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. 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. Can Nigeria's election result be overturned? [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders. Here are the names of some of the other outsiders who died on Koh Tao: Ian Jacobs 2000; 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. Photograph: Alamy. 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 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. Although Koh Tao is one of the . Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. In September 2014, two European backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found murdered on Sairee Beach on Thailands island of Koh Tao. [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. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. 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. 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. 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. June 6, 2021. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Pathologist Dr. Michael Biggs told the hearing that there were many injuries on Nick's body, including to the head, limbs, and face. 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. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. Hanspeter Suter 2014; Silje Mathisen 2014; The Koh Samui Provincial Court has set 24 December as the date to deliver its judgement on two Myanmar men, Zaw Lin and Zaw Ein Htun (aka Wai Phyo), who are accused of murdering two British tourists on Thailand's Koh Tao Island on September 15 last year. Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. 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. He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". [15], Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo retracted their statements following a visit from a consular lawyer for Myanmar and said they had made their statements under duress, after they had allegedly been beaten, left naked in a freezing room, and threatened with electrocution and an extrajudicial killing. These included backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who were found murdered on the . He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts.
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