Koh Tao Mayor Chaiyan Thurasakul said the website is accused of damaging Koh Taos reputation by calling it Death Island. 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. A Thai/Indian couple circa June 2021. 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. 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. [1][51] According to an observer, the sittings lasted over ten hours each day. How are they ever going to get closure and justice if they dont know what happened? He was travelling Southeast Asia with a friend after completing a six-week work placement in Australia with a mining company,[6][8][9] and arrived in Thailand in August. 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. Koh Tao, where Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered, is steeped in paradoxes. Police recovered the body and took it to the neighboring island of Koh Phangan. It covers an area of about 21 km2. On Koh Tao it meant a man living their life as a woman. Pathologists and legal experts criticised the police for mishandling the evidence, allowing contamination of the crime scene and failing to use experts to collect forensic evidence. Hiroshi 2002; [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. 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. Martin Totland - Wedding Photographer - Ivory Grove | LinkedIn The defendants have repeatedly stated their innocence over the murders, with the defence alleging they were framed. 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. [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. Read about our approach to external linking. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. Verdicts in the case are not expected until October. Friends and family remain suspicious of the police investigation and the insistence that Dimitri committed suicide, especially as his hands were tied behind his back. Koh Tao Murders: Is Koh Tao Safe in 2023? - Traveltomtom.net The Backpacker Murders Of Koh Tao. What Really Happened There? [52] The suspects were defended pro bono by two lawyers from the Lawyers Council of Thailand. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. 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? Chrissie's heartbroken dad Boyne Annesley started investigating more deaths in Koh Tao. There were no signs of a struggle or rape or other human DNA. Hi there! 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. Top Rotherham Self-Guided Tours & Rentals: See reviews and photos of Self-Guided Tours & Rentals in Rotherham, England on Tripadvisor. [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. 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. "They said they were going to cremate him the next day - I had to call the Home Office to stop the cremation. [67][21][68] The conviction was primarily guided by the DNA evidence,[67][69] and the court said it did not consider their confessions in making the judgement. An inquest had been held in 2014 as his death was being treated as suspicious. 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. Their findings were never made public, but were shared with the families of the victims. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. joanromans.com Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa 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. But among some foreigners, Koh Tao has taken on a more sinister reputation. 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 murders: Backpacker killers face execution | Herald Sun British woman, Christina Annesley, 23, was found in a room at the In Touch Resort on Jan 21, 2015. At least eleven European tourists have died or disappeared there since 2014 and it is now described as Death Island or Murder Island. Boyne Annesley believes his 23-year-old daughter Christina Annesley, of Orpington, southeast London, was murdered on Koh Tao Island in January 2015. "We asked for a copy of the CCTV footage and they said it was destroyed. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. Im asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a masters degree. [80][81], The Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan-o-cha, said "[foreign female tourists] think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like. Again when Christina Annesley died police didnt interview the last person she was seen with while she was alive. Photographs of the bodies have been circulating on the internet. Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court The real story of the 2014 Koh Tao Murders : r/myfavoritemurder - Reddit 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 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. Belgian backpacker Elise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanging from a tree on April 27, 2017. [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". It is not known who released the photos from the crime scene. The families dont believe a word of the Thai police investigation. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, "This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao", "Links revealed between police and migrants on Koh Tao", "Police: Still no suspect in killings of Britons on idyllic Thai island", "Thai king commutes death sentence of UK pair's killers", "Thailand: Hannah Witheridge 'raped by two men before being killed', "Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short", "Thailand murders: Victims' families talk of senseless killings", "Hannah Witheridge's family pay tribute to "beautiful, intelligent, loving young woman", "British backpackers murdered in Thailand named as Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand murders: Amnesty International call for police torture probe", Koh Samui Provincial Court No. Thailand is one of the worlds most popular tourist destinations with around 35 million visitors each year and promotes itself as the Land of Smiles. The government is sensitive to criticism that could undermine the countrys reputation. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Koh Tao (also Ko Tao) - literally Turtle Island in the Chumphon Archipelago. They claim they did not receive an autopsy report and say his body was sent against their wishes to the same Bangkok hospital that carried out botched reports on the bodies of two Brits murdered on the same island in 2014. [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. We are furious that we have not been able to have an approved independent forensic examination.". [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. Controversy of Koh Tao murders - coconuts.co Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. David Miller 2014; "Thai courts make little allowance for the feelings of relatives," he said. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. GRAPHIC crime scene photos showing the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. A member of staff told police he heard four to five cries of someone in shock approximately 10 minutes . Shocked cries in Ko Tao billionaire's death - Thai Examiner [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Their bodies were found on a beach on the island of Koh Tao last September. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. She was also part of the Sathya Sai Baba cult and lived with a self-proclaimed 'guru'. Only if they are not beautiful." New Zealand's Minisrty of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) says 185 Kiwis are registered as being in the flood affected areas of Koh Samui and Koh Tao and parts of southern Thailand, including . Our kids all died on Koh Tao 'death island' - cops claim they were accidents but we think they were MURDERED Aliki Kraterou Published: 13:58, 19 Mar 2022 Updated: 15:34, 19 Mar 2022 The. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. [70] Wai Phyo was also convicted of theft for allegedly stealing a phone and sunglasses from Miller's body. Buy images; Sell images; Lightboxes; 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. He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". [39] Following an interrogation, during which police say Zaw Lin admitted he had entered the country illegally, Zaw Lin was arrested and his clothes and motorcycle were seized as evidence. Ben Harrington 2012; 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.". Buchanan told the Sun Online: They all died in really mysterious circumstances- the Thai version of Christina Annesleys death was that she died of natural causes, she's 23! Our kids all died on Koh Tao 'death island' - cops claim they were I'm 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. "We identified a person who was with her last and they didn't follow up with them- then we asked for a blood sample and they delayed. 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. On Tuesday, new details emerged as police investigated the death of a wealthy billionaire industrialist and his wife on Ko Tao last Friday. Date: July 24, 2022. 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. Available for both RF and RM licensing. Unfortunately, the Thai defence lawyers did not call Ms Taupin to give evidence even though she was available. The mysterious Koh Tao - Death Island in Paradise Save up to 30% when you upgrade to an image pack. 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. Hannah Witheridge 2014; [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. GermanBernd Grotsch, 47, was found deadat his home deep in the jungle in the Mae Haad part of Koh Tao. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. 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. But "Turtle Island" has its dark side. 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. There were no witnesses. Ten days after he went missing from Sairee Beach on Koh Tao, the body of Swiss tourist Hans Peter Suter, 44, was washed ashore at Talay Ngam beach in Lang Suan district of Chumphon province on Tuesday, November 18, 2014. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. What really happened there? Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted Thailand's dark side: why you really shouldn't visit Koh Tao He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. Bangkok to Koh Tao - Bus, Train, Ferry & Flight Options - ASocialNomad 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. [1] Receiving half a million visitors each year,[1] Koh Tao is especially popular with backpackers and known for its marine life and scuba diving. The island is small and gifted with loads of hidden gems and completely deserted bays. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. koh tao murders crime scene photos. The Backpacker Murders of Koh Tao. What really happened there? [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. Coincidentally, pictures of Bernd with a snake were to be found online. Mr Miller's body was discovered with severe head injuries several metres away, he said. Koh Tao murders - Wikipedia The relevant standard in this case was ISO 17025. [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. They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. Corpse photos of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on internet It is believed they were tortured, then burned, before being chopped . Suter had been a regular snorkeler and his death was totally unexplained. 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. 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. The two are charged with the murder of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, on . Eight days later locals living near Tanote Bay found Elise's body after becoming suspicious of a monitor lizard going back and forth into the jungle. Or is Koh Tao just unlucky for visitors or is there something more sinister happening on the beautiful Thai island and haven for Scuba divers? The police quickly closed the inquiry, stating that he had drowned whilst swimming. "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. It doesn't necessarily mean they are transgender, or that they are doing drag, they just live as women. 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. Koh Tao is in the Chumphon Archipelago. 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 . Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. I just listened to your full podcast about Koh Tao with considerable interest. 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. Rocio Gomez; This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. He had entered the country on September 26, 2018, before traveling to the island, where stayed at the Monsoon Gym and Fight Club. Hotels near The Heart of Chechnya Hotels near State Gallery named after A. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. Hannah was raped before she was killed. Hell in Paradise: of Margaritas and Murders - UNRESERVED 2023 BBC. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. 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). [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. Father weeps at Thai murder photos. [1][4][24] Witheridge's body indicated she had been raped. Bernd's cousin Christina said: ''We cannot accept what the Thai authorities on the island are telling us. It would be impossible, some of the boulders are so big they would have stopped him but he didnt have a single broken bone. In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. We had one day on Koh Tao, it was really hard.". A judge found the workers guilty and sentenced them to death despite questions about DNA evidence and the police handling of the case. It has a population of around 1,500 people and the main settlement is Ban Mae Hat. 1. Xi Jinping's power grab - and why it matters, Street fighting in Bakhmut but Russia not in control, Saving Private Ryan actor Tom Sizemore dies at 61, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, Snow, Fire and Lights: Photos of the Week. 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. Andy was assisting the defence lawyers. September 23, 2014 5:57 AM EDT T he brutal murder of British tourists Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, on the Thai resort island of Koh Tao, has reverberated around the world.. [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object resulting in head and face wounds. Its just really shoddy investigation work- I personally think theres something going on on that island. [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. 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.. What the Murder of Two Young British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand
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