Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. 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. 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. All times AEDT (GMT +11). [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. Bergen Area, Norway. 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. Thai police are investigating their deaths as . 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. Christina Annesley 2015; In accepting the 2nd retrial plea, sought by the family of Hiromu Sakahara, who died of illness aged 75 while serving his term in 2011, the Osaka High Court said . 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. 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 . It followed her reporting on the case of a British girl who was allegedly raped on the same beach. 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. He had entered the country on September 26, 2018, before traveling to the island, where stayed at the Monsoon Gym and Fight Club. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. After searching, All rights reserved. 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. View our online Press Pack. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); The island off the Surat Thani province coast has gained notoriety after a string of suspicious and sensationalised deaths over the years. Bernd had also recently separated from his wife, Oey, a Koh Tao native, with whom he had a seven-year-old daughter, Bene, who had been living for the last two years with his sister, Monica, in Germany. 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.. [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. CONFESSION WITHDRAWN: Burmese suspect claims he was beaten, tortured by police. "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. 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.. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. "Another one of my sons was there with him, he was absolutely distraught looking at the police just laughing at him. [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. Download videos of River diver on Depositphotos Millions of high-quality, royalty-free stock videos, footage and clips at affordable prices. Hotel owner Rakeshwar Sachathamakul has been found dead along with his wife in a luxury resort on Koh Tao. Allegations about police brutality rocked the countrys economy that almost solely relies on tourism. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Thai beach deaths DNA evidence . Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. On February 16, 2015, Russian tourist Valentina Novozhyonova, 23, vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao. 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. In fact, during one 36-hour spell in April last year, nine people were murdered there. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. [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]. 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. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. Derby coroner Louise Pinder said there was not enough evidence to say how he died and recorded an open verdict. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. 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. There were no witnesses. They had no prior criminal records. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. The images shown to the court were graphic, reports Jonah Fisher in Thailand. 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. Nick Pearson 2014; It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . Silje Mathisen 2014; 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. We beg that Hannah and David are afforded privacy and dignity through the removal of these pointless and insensitive reminders. [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. The autopsy stated he had drowned. The economy of the island is almost exclusively centered on tourism, especially scuba diving. 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 . [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. Owner of Martin Totland Freelance LLC, specializing in event photography, freelance journalism, and Norwegian . They believed he had accidentally drowned and he was thought to have been dead for around 12 hours when his body was retrieved. "There has been lots of chit-chat on the internet. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. The prosecution says a DNA match between samples found on Miss Witheridge's body and the two defendants is central to its case. There were no signs he was suicidal. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. 2023 BBC. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. Exclusive location in the Kitirua Conservancy. But they were skeptical and he was fit and healthy at the time of his death. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. 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. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. Hanspeter Suter 2014; Although Koh Tao is one of the most beautiful islands in Thai. Enterprise. Hannah was a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, UK, and David was a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey. A 28-year-old British guy. Both were found dead on the bottom of a swimming pool at a seaside resort on Koh Tao in Surat Thani. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. The body had to be identified using dental records and previous X-rays. 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. When Nick Pearson died the police didnt go to his room, they didnt interview anybody. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong had some stern words for China over any role it might play in the war in Ukraine. I was good friends with a few and they were all restaurant/bar owners. "So for an hour the families of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller looked and listened as crime scene pictures were shown in court.". "At first, we accepted what the Thai authorities had said because we knew no different. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. Two Burmese migrant workers, Zaw Lin and Win Zaq Htun, both 21, have been accused of murdering the two backpackers and of raping Hannah. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. koh tao murders crime scene photos. Bernd's cousin Christina said: ''We cannot accept what the Thai authorities on the island are telling us. She added: The families of all the victims are not happy with the police reports, autopsy reports in Thailand dont match autopsy reports in the UK. The discovery of the bodies last September sparked a major police investigation and intense local and international pressure to find those responsible. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. 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. Book Koh Tao Cabana, Koh Tao on Tripadvisor: See 884 traveller reviews, 2,154 candid photos, and great deals for Koh Tao Cabana, ranked #14 of 194 hotels in Koh Tao and rated 4 of 5 at Tripadvisor. [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". 24, after their battered bodies were found on a beach on the southern resort island of . 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. The Koh Tao murders had a big impact on the island, it left a very deep impression! He also had given no indications before his death, that he had suicidal thoughts. Stock photos, 360 images, vectors and videos. In August 2020, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo had their death sentences commuted to life in prison to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency".
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