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Top Rotherham Self-Guided Tours & Rentals: See reviews and photos of Self-Guided Tours & Rentals in Rotherham, England on Tripadvisor. All times AEDT (GMT +11). While collecting forensic evidence, tourists and locals were allowed to walk on the beach. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. Date: July 24, 2022. Koh Tao murders 1 language Sairee Beach The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. Verdicts in the case are not expected until October. 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. [46] The police then forced the suspects to re-enact the murder in front of media,[34] a move condemned by legal experts as prejudicing a fair hearing. Hiroshi 2002; When Nick Pearson died the police didnt go to his room, they didnt interview anybody. About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. Lightboxes. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. While police claimed that she hanged herself, mystery surrounded her death, as it was revealed she used a fake name at the hostel she was staying. And at least six young Brits have all died in suspicious circumstances on the small island of Koh Tao, leading their loved ones to label it "Death Island". The police quickly closed the inquiry, stating that he had drowned whilst swimming. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. "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. 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. He told the Sun Online: "We want justice. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. 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. Create an account. 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. HARROWING photos of the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. 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. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. Our family have been further traumatised by reports that there are numerous unnecessary and senseless photographs circulating across the internet. And on Koh Tao there are around 5,000 Burmese conspicuous by the golden streaks of thanaka paste, a traditional sunscreen and beauty product, garnishing their cheeks who build hotels, sweep. Buchanan who left Thailand in 2016 after receiving death threats for her reporting, reached out to the victims' families and formed a support group. 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. CTN News. [76], The International Commission of Jurists said "the defense must be afforded adequate time and facilities to explore whether the alleged destruction of evidence in this case was appropriate and unavoidable, and to test the prosecution case overall." 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. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. 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. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. The following morning the family raised the alarm when Nick failed to answer the door. German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. On Tuesday, new details emerged as police investigated the death of a wealthy billionaire industrialist and his wife on Ko Tao last Friday. "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. [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. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. From: kohtao. However, at that time I was already aware of other tourist deaths on the island. They also found a suicide note at the scene. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . 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 Hi there! [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. Shelley Bot 2017; The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. See the latest list of Exclusive members-only articles on StrangeOutdoors.com, https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30320196. (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 . But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. WARNING CONTAINS SOME DISTURBING IMAGES OF DEATH. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". 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. 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. I shall post a link to your podcast on my Facebook page. [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. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. They had no prior criminal records. Koh Tao Murder - Thai Police, their scapegoats and tourist trade - Exposed by AnonymousThis video goes into the deep facts of the recent Koh Tao Island murder of David Miller and Hannah. We are like one big family, weve been through this journey for the past seven years together. Hannah Witheridge was seen walking through Koh Tao with a group of friends - all of whom are thought to be British - just hours before being brutally murdered +17 View gallery The 23-year-old. "Another one of my sons was there with him, he was absolutely distraught looking at the police just laughing at him. 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. 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. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope Mr Sachathamakul's wife, Anshoo. Luke Miller 2016; The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. Chrissie's heartbroken dad Boyne Annesley started investigating more deaths in Koh Tao. Witnesses said items belonging to the Moldovan were seen in the early hours of Tuesday morning and police were alerted. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. If you are interested, I have further information on my social media accounts. 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. Thai police are investigating their deaths as . The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. Khao San Lomprayah - 2100 arrives Koh Tao 0845 > check prices for Bangkok to Koha Tao night bus and ferry and book now. Koh tao murders Stock Photos and Images (50) See koh tao murders stock video clips RM 2D0FFR6 - A police searches for clues near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found, on the island of Koh Tao September 19, 2014. Controversially, Surat Thani governor Auaychai Innak dismissed as untrue some foreign news reports which claimed reptiles had eaten half of Dallemagne's body. By. The evidence in the form of this Unendorsed Report would have been ruled as inadmissible in US courts and other Western courts. [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. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. "So my suspicions are that it was a mugging that went wrong. 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. Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. [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. 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. Posts on social media said Dallemagne had booked a ticket to Chumphon province, on the mainland, and that her luggage arrived after her death, raising questions of her intentions to take her own life. Administratively it is a subdistrict (tambon) of Ko Pha-ngan District (amphoe) of Surat Thani Province. Thailands prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, questioned the attire and behavior of foreign female tourists shortly after the killing of two British backpackers, David Miller and Hannah Witheridge on the island in 2014. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. Shared On: 28th Dec, 2022. 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. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". Find the perfect agent pastime stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. 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 millionaire hotel tycoon and his wife have been found dead in a luxury resort on Koh Tao, colloquially known as Death Island. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. Why are the police not thoroughly investigating, why are they changing facts? They had been brutally beaten to death just a few feet away from their hotel rooms. 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. We won't comment on the trial process. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. "Thai courts make little allowance for the feelings of relatives," he said. Heightened vigilance has been urged for all countries after two new deadly virus cases were detected in humans in China. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. 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. 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"They won't come forward because they know something is going to happen to them," he added. [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. [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. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop by scuba divers in the sea after he disappeared following a night out with his family on New Year's Eve. Hanspeter Suter 2014; Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. [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". The authorities said he had died after striking the diving board from which he was jumping. On September 20, 1988, Tara Calico left her home in New Mexico to go on a bike ride she took, In November 1981, actress Natalie Wood mysteriously drowned off the coast of Southern California during a boating trip with her, In July 2014, 52 year old Lynn Messer mysteriously disappeared from her familys 260-acre farm in Bloomsdale, Missouri. The more I was getting involved, the more I was reporting, the more upset the Thais would get," she added. 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. 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. Martin Totland Frilans. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16, but failed to do so. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". The following month Russian Valentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel sparking a police search. 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. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. 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. The suspects however have withdrawn their confessions to the murders and claimed Thai police forced the admissions through torture. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. However, no toxicology report was conducted. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. 0 0. I have created a Facebook page and a YouTube channel dedicated to looking into tourist deaths on Koh Tao. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. We'll be dignified for David. That is awful. 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. 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. [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on . The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. Two of the victims were dismembered and disposed of in plastic bags. "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. There were no signs he was suicidal. 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. 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. International experts criticized the DNA testing done by the hospital at the time with claims that samples were tampered with in order to falsely incriminate two Burmese workers. 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. [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]. Yearly, many professional photographers visit this lodge to capture herds of elephants crossing the dry lake in search of water . 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. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive. 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 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". The body of his 55-year-old mother was only found later when rescue services arrived at the scene. The reporter was forced to leave the country she lived in for 20 years after Thai authorities issued an arrest warrant accusing her of publishing false information and violating the computer crime law.. 2023 BBC. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Hotels near The Heart of Chechnya Hotels near State Gallery named after A. Photo from Sept 15 showing a police officer questioning Christopher Alan Ware, who has re-emerged as a leading suspect in the murder of a young British man and woman on Koh Tao on Monday in. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. There were no witnesses. [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. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. "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. They believed he had accidentally drowned and he was thought to have been dead for around 12 hours when his body was retrieved. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. What really happened there? It followed her reporting on the case of a British girl who was allegedly raped on the same beach. ", The dad added that some of the witnesses they spoke to were "too frightened" to come forward which shows "how the culture is.". Find the perfect koh tao murder stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. The last known video footage of the Russian woman showed her walking to Chaloke Hin Kao bay and never coming back. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thailand, it has always been shrouded by a dark mystery. 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? Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. 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. There have been suspicious reports of hand-sized bruises found on Lukes shoulders.