[6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. 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. 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. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. The autopsy stated he had drowned. [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]. Deaths have been explained away by the authorities as unfortunate accidents or suicides. [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. 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 Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST. [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". He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". Photograph: Alamy. His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. Elise Dallemagne 2017; My YouTube channel is called KOH TAO MURDERS DEATH ISLAND. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. Amnesty International has demanded the Thai authorities investigate the torture allegations after one suspect reportedly said he was beaten and threatened with electrocution. Resting in the Gulf of Thailand, a two-hour ferry ride north of Koh Samui, Koh Tao is best known for its incredible marine life, which over the years has attracted a small but buoyant expat. [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. "We asked for a copy of the CCTV footage and they said it was destroyed. Rockefeller Audio 2022. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. [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. He started another business in neighboring island Koh Phayam before returning in March 2018 to "tie up loose ends". 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.. British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. koh tao murders crime scene photos. 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. 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. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. 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. Koh Tao ''Turtle Island'' or Ko Tao is an island in Thailand and is part of the Chumphon Archipelago on the western shore of the Gulf of Thailand. 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. 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. Martin Totland Frilans. HARROWING photos of the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. Cart. Get latest News Information, Articles on Thailand Vs Indonesia Live Streaming Updated on December 27, 2018 19:20 with exclusive Pictures, photos & videos on Thailand Vs Indonesia Live Streaming at Latestly.com - Page 18 Here are the names of some of the other outsiders who died on Koh Tao: Ian Jacobs 2000; But they were skeptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. 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Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. Picture: Viral Press/Australscope About Nick Pearson they said he fell out of his bungalow and ended up drowning in the ocean. Christina Annesley 2015; The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. [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." Hotels near The Heart of Chechnya Hotels near State Gallery named after A. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Thai authorities claimed he was drunk and fell, but his family believes he was murdered.. [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". Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. 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.. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . [1][15][16] Miller's body was found floating in the water, and Witheridge's on the beach;[17] the bodies lay approximately 20 metres apart and 30 metres away from their hotel (Ocean View Bungalows). Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. What really happened there? Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. All times AEDT (GMT +11). [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. 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.". [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. Alexandr Bucspun, 33, from Moldova, was found dead in the sea off Had Sai Ree on Koh Tao on Tuesday, October 9, 2018. They think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like, the prime minister said. It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. Phone records showed that Elise called her mother on Skype on April 17, 2017, before leaving Koh Phangan on a Ferry on April 19. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders. That is awful. Only if they are not beautiful. He later apologized, saying that he meant only that foreign visitors should be careful. The families of Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller are now returning to the UK. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. At the time rumours of secret CCTV footage, inconclusive blood samples and a mysterious Swedish man, made Christinas dad suspicious. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. The suspects however have withdrawn their confessions to the murders and claimed Thai police forced the admissions through torture. Thailand's paradise island murder mystery continues to baffle police, BBC's south-east Asia correspondent reports from Koh Tao. [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. A 28-year-old British guy. They had no prior criminal records. 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. 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. Bergen Area, Norway. Virat Asavachin (Mr Ban) 2002; [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. Hannah Witheridge 2014; 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. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. A woman Povse had been interested in said he had called her twice on the phone that night but she had not picked up because she had been asleep. "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. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. 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. Enterprise. Find the perfect koh tao murder stock photo, image, vector, illustration or 360 image. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. We've all heard about the 2014 backpacker murders of two British tourists in Koh Tao, Thailand. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. If you are interested, I have further information on my social media accounts. Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. Shelley Bot 2017; Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. 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. Koh Tao murders: 'Asian man' seen on CCTV sought for q uestioning Probe into murder of two Britons on Koh Tao Manhunt on Koh Tao after tourists found brutally murdere d on beach British tourists murdered, stripped on Koh Tao beach Topics: Bangkok, Features Join the Coconuts conversation with a comment. Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. 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.. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". 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. David Miller 2014; [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. 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. There have been suspicious reports of hand-sized bruises found on Lukes shoulders. The more I was getting involved, the more I was reporting, the more upset the Thais would get," she added. [4][11][14] Their bodies were discovered on Sairee Beach a few hours later, between 4 and 5am, by a mute Burmese beach cleaner. "So my suspicions are that it was a mugging that went wrong. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. 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. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. 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. Murder of two backpackers on the island of Koh Tao SAIREE BEACH, KOH TAO, THAILAND - SEPTEMBER 15, 2014 British tourists Hannah Witheridge (23 years old) and David Miller (24 years old) enjoyed their holiday in Thailand on the famous island of Koh Tao. GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. [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. A. Kadyrov Hotels near Museum of the Chechen Republic Hotels near The Flower Park Hotels near Visit Chechnya Hotels near Grozny City Observation Deck Hotels near Church of Archangel Michael Hotels near Makhmud Esambayev Avenue Hotels near Museum of Akhmat Khadzhy Kadyrov Hotels near Monument to the Fighters of the . Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. Theres a disproportionate amount of suspicious deaths on that island- and the link is that none of the families believe the police investigation or the information theyve been given. 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. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. Buy images; Sell images; Lightboxes; [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". We admit that in the past, there was a mafia there that took advantage of tourists. Due to the nature of her passing, our beautiful girl has had little privacy. Chrissie's heartbroken dad Boyne Annesley started investigating more deaths in Koh Tao. Staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. (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 . 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. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. 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". From the beginning, the Thai police had difficulty securing the crime scene. 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. [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". 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. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. 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. The trial provided an obvious example of Scientific Fraud being used to convict two scapegoats. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. 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. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. They weren't looked down upon or treated poorly at all. Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thai. Hotel owner Rakeshwar Sachathamakul has been found dead along with his wife in a luxury resort on Koh Tao. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. 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. Verdicts in the case are not expected until October. [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". 10 July 2015. The families dont believe a word of the Thai police investigation. They are said to have confessed to the crime but later retracted their statements. It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . The items were still there are 3 am and he called the police. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. ", Mrs Miller said: "It's been hard, very hard. 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. Death sentences in Koh Tao killings commuted. The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. Hi there! German Bernd Grotsch's body was found at his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. Thai beach deaths DNA evidence . Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. View our online Press Pack. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions.