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. Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. However, Christina's family say no toxicology report was carried out, raising questions about her death, while Dimitri's family say he could not have hanged himself because his hands were tied behind his back. A mix of clouds and sun. A subreddit dedicated to the unresolved mysteries of the world. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. [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. The Student Room and The Uni Guide are trading names of The Student Room Group Ltd. Register Number: 04666380 (England and Wales), VAT No. Luke Miller 2016; Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. Here at Cosmo we'll be respecting the wishes of Hannah's family tomorrow, and whether it's celebrity naked photos, horrific hostage videos in Iraq and Syria or grossly inappropriate crime scene photos we'll be steering well clear of these images if we see them shared online. Thai police take DNA swabs and footprints of migrant workers yards from the scene of the murder of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on the island of Koh Tao. Could you please describe them? [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. 15:22 GMT 21 Oct 2014. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. September 16: DNA samples taken from the scene do not match those of any of a reported 12 suspects. The families of Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller are now returning to the UK. Thailand beach murders: Hannah Witheridge's family beg for removal of graphic crime scene images circulating online Photos showing the battered bodies of Hannah, 23, and David Miller, 24, emerged . *if you admit to regrets* which is the biggest of your life. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. Last month, the tragic revelation that backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk and David Miller, 24, from Jersey had been murdered on the holiday island of Koh . [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". I have created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel dedicated to looking into tourist deaths on Koh Tao. It's crazy that the wikipedia page for the Ripper has this picture on it. [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. Police in Thailand investigating the murder of two British backpackers suspect they were killed by two fishermen who then fled in a boat as CCTV images showing the couples last fateful movements in Koh Tao came to light last night. This is a terrific answer. Officers claimed they had 'strong evidence' to link six Burmese workers to the gruesome murders, though no forensic links could be made. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. What they did was fairly run of the mill for the Jim Crow South. Miller had scratches on his back and water in his lungs indicating drowning. 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. Miss Witheridge's family said "senseless" photos of the crime scene had added to their agony. I stumbled across these once a few years ago and I really wish I hadn't seen them. Earlier Thai Prime Minister said it girls wearing bikinis on the holiday island of Koh Tao were not safe unless they were ugly. However, she had completely forgotten the draw had taken place, Is Arsenal vs Everton on TV? "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". [85][15][86] Prayut said that British and Burmese government representatives were "limited to observation" and had to "respect our processes". Prior to your posting to Thailand you must have received a report of this country in terms of its corruption, poverty, murder and crime rates. Two Ukrainian women look back at one year of war, Why you shouldn't go into TikTok's "monk mode", Pictures of Thai murder victim Hannah Witheridge's body circulate on the Internet, Cosmopolitan, Part of the Hearst UK Fashion & Beauty Network. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. To think that the scum who tortured and murdered a child got off and were able to brag about it later is just unbelievable. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Samples were taken from nine migrant workers and three foreigners including two brothers from Jersey who were friends of David Miller. [36] Footage near the crime scene also showed one of the three men running into a shortcut. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". Healthy mother-of-two, 32, collapsed and died from brain bleed while she led fitness bounce class. The hoe was then used to knock Witheridge unconscious, after which the defendants used force to hold her down and took turns raping her, before killing her with the hoe. Thailand's Supreme Court last month upheld murder convictions against two Myanmar migrant workers sentenced to death for killing two British backpackers. [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. "[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 & David Miller. Hanspeter Suter 2014; [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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found close to bungalows where they had been staying, Thai police say two men have confessed to killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, Koh Tao is a popular destination for tourists, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. They beat Ms Horton, raped her, and threw her into the sea where she drowned. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. The investigation of the Witheridge and Miller slayings was widely criticized as the crime scene was not properly secured, and questions were also raised about subsequent DNA testing. [4][11][14] Their bodies were discovered on Sairee Beach a few hours later, between 4 and 5am, by a mute Burmese beach cleaner. The Mirror's Ariane went to see what all the fuss is about, Attacker tries to smash into house as cops 'blame football' for delay in 999 response, A householder who sheltered a woman from the man she claimed attacked her on the street claims police blamed Sunday's Wembley cup final for the time taken to respond to her 999 call, King Charles evicted Harry and Meghan 'just 24 hours after Spare was released', King Charles reportedly began the eviction process a day after Prince Harry's book Spare hit the shelves. We won't comment on the trial process. After searching, All rights reserved. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. Last month, the tragic revelation that backpackers Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk and David Miller, 24, from Jersey had been murdered on the holiday island of Koh Tao shook the world. "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. by potty Thu Oct 09, 2014 2:52 am, Users browsing this forum: Google Feedfetcher, Newinkow, phuketrichard, yong and 69 guests. In their verdict, a panel of two judges said the death sentences handed down by lower courts would be upheld as the men had been found guilty of murder and rape on the basis of evidence and forensic results. A British male, thought to have known the two, was named as a person of interested and hunted by police after allegedly fleeing the island on an early ferry for Bangkok. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. oh my god the Thailand crime scene photos have honestly scarred me for life. September 19: Thai officials collect DNA samples from workers in bars and restaurants in Koh Tao. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. The men displayed no emotion as they listened intently to a translator while the verdict was read at a court in the province of Nonthaburi, just north of Bangkok, the capital. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. The brutal reality of seeing her like that made me physically sick and ive looked at alot of photos on that sub :/, Is there a reason I cant view them? After the attack they swam to their boat and boasted to their colleagues. Mrs Witheridge paid tribute to her daughter, saying: 'She was a beautiful and fun loving woman who filled the room with love and happiness just by being there.'. The worst part is her face. The couple was found half-naked in a secluded area of Sai Ree beach on the Phangan district island around 6.30am Monday. 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. Immediately after the hearing, the two migrants appealed to the families of Miss Witheridge and Mr Walker, asking them to co-operate in seeking a royal pardon from the Thai king. But they have another dark side to them. Published: 13:48 GMT, 17 September 2019 | Updated: 09:16 GMT, 18 September 2019. So sad though! [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. Supposedly these are the first crime scene photos ever taken. Excluding the black dahlia (elizabeth short) and the jack the ripper case, what crime scene photo's seriously disturb you. 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. Zaw Lin, front, and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun), rear, arrive at the court in Koh Samui, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece. Thai police have faced widespread domestic and international criticism for their handling of the case and the evidence. If we haven't already, we should delete the crime scene photo previously posted in a "spoiler", out of respect to the family's wishes. They say traces of at least one man's DNA has been found on Miss Witheridge's body. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. [83] A 2016 study said the case, which it described as a litmus test of Thailand's justice system, "seriously damaged the image of Thailand and of its forces of law and order on the global level". Live TV coverage explained, The two go head-to-head for the fourth time already in 2023 when they meet at Anfield on Wednesday night, but the match won't be shown on television in the UK, Police recover Cheltenham Festival trophy that was stolen from Sheffield silversmiths, The Grand Annual Steeplechase Cup, the Cheltenham Festival's oldest trophy, was taken in a burglary in February but is back in safe hands in time to be presented at the showcase meeting in two weeks' time, Jeremy Clarkson responds amid speculation over Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 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. The following year Briton Christina Annesley , 23, was found dead from what Thai police described as mixing alcohol with antibiotics for a chest infection. 'Laura had been gravely ill and was being treated in hospital. Revealed: Hacked nude celebrity photos had been on 'deep web' black market for a WEEK - and there could be even more to come. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. They were arrested and tried and identified by Till's uncle. DO NOT go in blind. "Life is too important to take seriously.". [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. 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. by potty Thu Oct 09, 2014 12:23 am, Post A local Western businessman though, who did not want to be named, criticised the police for allowing the boats to leave. [42][48] Amnesty International stated that Thailand "must initiate an independent, effective and transparent investigation into mounting allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by police". [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. Five days since the murder police are no closer to catching the killer. No trace of her has ever been found, though the official Thai police account is that she died at sea. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. As we continue with our plans for our beautiful Hannah's 'party', our thoughts are with David Miller's family who are suffering the same indescribable agony. job, Jeremy Clarkson has broken his silence following claims Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? 'There wasn't a bad bone in her body. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. Video, At the crash site of 'no hope' - BBC reporter in Greece, Record numbers of guide dog volunteers after BBC story. Check r/crimescene - the two most disturbing on that was i) Little boy decapitated by his father in a murder suicide and ii) the British girl raped and murdered in Thailand. The court heard he set up a fake Twitter profile in Hannah's name which Laura described as 'cruel, completely inaccurate and callous.'. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. Thailand is Cambodia's neighbor to the West, and this forum is dedicated to Thai news, stories, reviews, blogs, videos, Thai people and anything else related to the country. Elise Dallemagne 2017; [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. High 62F. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. An inquest into the death of Miss Witheridge which was held in Norwich in February 2016 heard how her family described her as 'a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman'. The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. Rishi Sunak is urgently reviewing his private exchanges with Matt Hancock after bombshell leak of ex-Health 'Drinks cold in fridge at DH!' Dr Cary also said there were signs that Hannah had been dragged and sexually assaulted. by potty Thu Oct 09, 2014 2:48 am, Post He was last night accused of smearing a murdered British backpacker to protect his countrys tourism industry. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. They said in a family statement: 'We confirm that our beautiful girl Laura passed away on Monday, September 16. 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. Created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel dedicated to the gruesome murders though... 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Desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the was! The biggest of your life news tip for CEO domestic and david and hannah thailand crime scene photos criticism their! Gmt, 18 September 2019 | Updated: 09:16 GMT, 18 September 2019 | Updated: 09:16,...