He knew enough to pronounce the initial 'v' in the common English spelling of his name (Vajiralongkorn) as a 'w', but then he pronounced the 'j' as a Spanish 'h' (it's actually 'ch'). Yet, that case has also been disintegrating. student Backpacker Hannah Witheridge was found dead in Thailand was raped by two men, while the other was followed before she was killed on September 15, 2014, Ko Tao, Ko Tao, Thailand. This was the first Casefile that Ive really questioned their research. We urge anyone who can help these investigations to please assist the Royal Thai Police in solving these murders and bringing the culprits to justice. Edit: Just heard him pronounce the Thai king's name at the end of the episode. And wasnt the English guy that was an initial suspect found with a blood stained guitar? It doesnt seem like the two convicted of the murder actually committed it, but that leaves wiide open the question of who is actually attacking + murdering backpackers on this island, and why?! Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015, after being found guilty of killing David Miller, 24, of Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, of Norfolk. Two Burmese men are on trial for their murders. Thailands image as a tourist paradise has been badly damaged by the brutal murders. A bloodstained garden hoe, which is thought to be the murder weapon, was discovered nearby, AFP reported. With tourism critical to Thailand's economy, police. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Mr Miller was found four metres away, face up, with a blow to the head and water in his lungs. Good episode, but infuriating for the same reasons as many others. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". Wa-hee-rah-long-gonenever heard anyone else pronounce it like that. Ms Witheridge had been raped and Mr Miller had been. I kept thinking the episode was going to circle back around to this aspect but it never did. The problem is all the distractions, Quaglia tells TIME. Forensics results released Wednesday show that Briton David Miller had water in his lungs when he and romantic partner Hannah Witheridge were brutally killed early Monday on Koh Tao in. Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, had been raped before being beaten to death while Miller, 24, from Jersey, had been violently attacked and abandoned to drown in the shallow waters of the island's. 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. Ms Witheridge was found with her face smashed in, her skirt wrenched up and her body showing signs of rape. The pair said they offered information to. Shortly after arresting the men, Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, Thai officials had them perform a bizarre public re-enactment of the crimes. Read about our approach to external linking. Two men convicted of murdering two British backpackers in Thailand have had their death sentence upheld by its Supreme Court. Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. On Sept. 15, one of the occupants of that same room A5, Hannah Witheridge, was found bludgeoned to death in their midst alongside fellow British tourist David Miller, just a short stumble. "This tree was another tower of Jersey strength brought crashing down before its time," they said. A rusty hoe, its blade broken and caked in gore, lay nearby. Video Unavailable Murdered British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller may have been in a row in a bar with a local gangster who tried to chat her up. She died at Southampton General Hospital on September 16, 2019 - five years after her sister Hannah Witheridge, then 23, was found beaten to death on a Thailand beach. When residents of the affluent Southfields area of south-west London notice foul smelling smoke coming from a home on Wimbledon Park Drive in September 2017, firefighters arrive to make sure the house.- Hren Sie Case 236: Sophie Lionnet von Casefile True Crime sofort auf Ihrem Tablet, Telefon oder im Browser - kein Herunterladen erforderlich. .06. The bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao in 2014. These two kindred spirits meet for the first time on the . During the re-enactment, the two men wore flak jackets and motorcycle helmets as protection against angry residents, who fear the crime will damage tourism to the remote island. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. 'No one knows' what caused the death of Laura Daniels, 30, of Norfolk, despite extensive investigations, her family was told at a hearing in Winchester, Hampshire on Wednesday. Read about our approach to external linking. "They're pleading with the Burmese government to look into the case and find out the truth," he added. Davids not that bad, but my god what they did to Hannah. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. On a human level, it's understandable why they would have these feelings considering the grief and emotional pain they've gone through, but at the same time, judges, juries, and prisons exist for a reason. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together on a beach on Koh Tao island. It was a year ago that the bodies were discovered on the beach: nearly naked, their blood mixing with the morning surf. Really sad that the victims pictures are in the internet like this. The BBC reports that police in the area believe the man has already escaped Koh Tao. Friends and family of Mr Miller have commissioned a "simple seat from a plank of oak from a tree that fell in the great storm of 1987". Basically, Myanmar shares a border with Thailand and is considerably lower on the economic development index so a lot of labour, both legal and illegal, is done by Myanmar people inside Thailand. The exact area where there bodies were found was the village of Hat Sat Ri. Were working to restore it. Speaking at the inquest, she said: 'Given the post-mortem findings it is very difficult indeed to come to any conclusion other than open and that is because no one knows quite why Laura died when she did. Colonel Cherdpong also said that his department had not investigated rumours of a fight between Ms Witheridge and the son of a powerful Koh Tao politician on the night of the killings. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. Hannah Witheridge was a college student at the University of Essex and lived there, according to her Facebook page. It is easy to see how/why the Thai police would want to pin this on them, but one part of their story that seemed odd to me was how they ended up with the cell phone. What is the plan to protect the high seas? I also found that extremely weird it was brought up once and never again. Forensic examiners in Bangkok found water in his lungs and revealed that Miss. Ms Witheridge, who was doing a post-graduate speech and language therapy course at the University of Essex, was travelling with three female friends and had only arrived on Koh Tao, or Turtle Island, three before her death. On September 16, 2019 she was found unresponsive in hospital shortly after speaking to staff and was pronounced dead. They had arrived in Thailand separately and met at the hotel where they were staying. David and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge were found bludgeoned to death on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao after they had been drinking in a bar. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. (Facebook). "The second roti seller has been on the stand and it's become very clear that he does not have much of grasp of Thai at all so we don't understand how he could have translated for police," Andy Hall, a British migrant rights advocate who is assisting the defence, told the newspaper. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha Human Rights Watch at the time called the verdict 'profoundly disturbing', citing the defendants' accusations of police torture that were never investigated and questionable DNA evidence linking them to the crime. Win Zaw Htun and his friend Zaw Lin, both 21, are in both the Koh Samui jail and the spotlight of a gruesome crime case, although practically no one believes they really brutally murdered English tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller last month on nearby Koh Tao. One year later, those test results are far from convincing. 2022 - Wiki and Biography world. The two Myanmar nationals are charged with murder (of both tourists), gang rape (of Witheridge) and stealing, Prachum Ruangthong, police chief of neighbouring Koh Phangan island, told AFP. Prosecutors have claimed the men are linked to the killings by DNA evidence collected from cigarette butts, a condom and the bodies of the victims. Both were found. Two Myanmar migrant workers sentenced to death in Thailand for the murder of two British backpackers had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment, their lawyer said. 1.1M views 1 year ago True Crime: In September of 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Koh Tao's famous Sairee beach, dead. They lost their appeal in 2017. - Listen to Case 236: Sophie Lionnet by Casefile True Crime instantly on your tablet, phone or browser - no downloads needed. "We hope that these two murderers will now spend a very, very long time in jail where they cannot harm other families and will have time to reflect on the consequences of their acts.". But his mum believes he was mugged aswallet and watch were missing. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital dtao' (the ? Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. So those other people were probably also murdered, but I am SO tired of relatives saying "she didn't kill herself, she was so happy" being used as a real argument that someone didn't kill themself. Disturbing online photos leave family of backpacker Hannah Witheridge disgusted By Sophie Goddard 9 Oct 2014 Rex Features Last month, the tragic revelation that backpackers Hannah. His defense attorneys have also said that the evidence used to convict the two men was unreliable as authorities had mishandled the DNA and did not allow independent analysis of the samples. The investigation descended into the absurd when the Thai Prime Minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha, commented on the killings by saying that only ugly women were safe wearing bikinis in Thailand. Accused of murdering British tourists, Myanmar men Zaw Lin (right) and Win Zaw Htun have withdrawn their confession, that they now say was extracted through torture. The murders of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, occurred in the early hours of the morning after they left AC Bar. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tuns mothers appealed to the Koh Samui court in May 2016 over concerns about the verdicts, particularly the DNA evidence used in the investigation. Last month, the translators, who were used to obtain the now retracted confessions, admitted in court that they were roti (pancake) vendors who barely understood Thai and spoke little Burmese, the Myanmar Times reported. Laura was being treated at the hospital. I here to deliver the same warning. There is other evidence that points to these deaths being murders, but family members saying that the victims weren't suicidal is not it. The trial came following accusations Lin and Phyo, who were migrant workers on the island, were being used as scapegoats by desperate investigators. The influence of the king was on this occasion somewhat beneficial - they take the royal family so seriously that you can be sent to prison for writing even an oblique satire or parody of them. A post-mortem examination was unable to determine a cause of death for Mrs Daniels, a paediatric nurse who lived in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. A summary of the appeal by the 'Koh Tao Two' against conviction and the death sentence for the murders of British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller appears to totally demolish a sloppy prosecution case in the controversial trial in Thailand. Both bodies were found lying on a beach, stripped naked and bloodied. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. Jacob Thorburn For Mailonline You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. The two Myanmar men, in helmets and handcuffs, charged in the killings, were made to take part in a re-enactment of the crime.Credit:Reuters. He added: 'Life was never going to be easy or the same again, we shared difficult times but we found happiness together.'. Thai police initially blamed Burmese migrant workers (favorite targets, in the words of Paul Quaglia, a Bangkok-based risk analyst). They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. . To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Their sentences will be reduced to life in prison after a royal clemency decree was issued on Friday, said their lawyer Nakhon Chompuchat. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Police revealed that the two Thais had been interviewed but were released after refusing to provide DNA samples. Hannah Witheridge was a beautiful blonde from eastern England. We have to look into the behavior of the other party [Witheridge and Miller] too, he said. They were in their early 20s and holidaying together on the tiny tropical island of Koh Tao, a backpacker's paradise off the coast of Thailand. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. 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. If you would like to rate cases 1-199, please do so at this Casefile Ratings Form (1-199). "The death penalty sentence against the two accused and their conviction should be reversed and quashed," Andy Hall, an adviser to the two men's legal team, said ahead of their appeal. Myanmar men withdrew their first confessions to the crimes, saying that they were tortured by the police. Her mother, Mrs Witheridge previously wept at one point in the hearing and said: 'You lose one daughter, you don't expect to lose another.'. being a glottal stop). A final picture of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller taken just hours before they were brutally murdered. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Then, just a few days later, a lawyer for the men insisted that the confession was false: the police had beaten it out of them. DNA tests on a cigarette butt found at the scene have now cleared the former. The pair did not know each other before their holiday, but CCTV footage shows them leaving a bar together just hours before their battered bodies were discovered. One thing I thought of during this episode is there needs to be some sort of DNA processing regulation, preferably independent of police departments/government agencies. RIP, Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014. Read about our approach to external linking. Asesinato es una palabra aterradora. 'No one knows, and that must be one of the hardest things for families and friends - for a young person to die and for despite all the investigation, all the inquest process we end up simply not knowing.'. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side. News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. Privacy Policy. Don't google the images either I just did bad idea. Stricter rules for hiring migrant workers across the archipelago were introduced in the wake of the killings with astonishing speed. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, the two British backpackers found dead on a Thai beach last month, were reportedly killed by two Burmese men who confessed to officials this week. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. Sky News reports that Miller was chopped in the back and the side of his head, Witheridges injuries were to her head. Hannah was also raped. In a heartfelt statement read out by the coroner, her husband Lewis Daniels said: 'Laura was an incredible young lady who had so much desire to continue making the most of her life whilst having to deal with adversity very few people across the world will ever have to experience.'. A lot of the pictures were actually by some cleaners before the police even came. David Miller, 24, from Jersey in the Channel Islands, had been backpacking across Asia and Australia before spending time on the popular party island of Koh Tao. A baby girl has died in tragic circumstances on a family holiday, after ingesting drugs her parents believe were left out in an Airbnb. What science tells us about the afterlife. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in 2014 By Stephanie Cockroft 15 August 2020 A pair of migrant workers convicted of murdering two young British tourists on a Thai holiday island. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. With no DNA evidence and a contested confession, the case appears to be collapsing. A quick scan of English-language news portals for the booming resort of Pattaya one of the countrys most popular destinations reveals a shocking litany of muggings, phone snatchings, shootings, stabbings, fatal car crashes, drownings, and more, all involving visitors. POLICE have finally made a breakthrough in the shocking murders of two British backpackers in Thailand, but mystery still surrounds the horrific discovery. 'Hannah was gripping blond hair before she died' - claim (but perhaps not as dramatic as it sounds) Murder victim David Miller likely struggled with his attacker in the sea off the Thai holiday island of Koh Tao before being hacked to death. Whilst I dont believe the correct murderers were charged, please do not quote the woman who wrote the book. By Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island on New Year's Day 2015. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. By the time dawn broke over Koh Tao, the beach had been . The defense appeals were exhausted in August and a royal pardon or commutation of the death sentence by the Thai king is the last chance for a pardon. We are not challenging judgment. However, given the inconsistencies in the investigation, doubt is likely to remain no matter the verdict. British tourists David Miller, 24, and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge, seen here, were killed with a garden tool after a beach party early Sept. 15, 2014 in Thailand. Her sister Hannah Witheridge was found dead on a beach in Thailand in 2014 . Would love your thoughts, please comment. The case was upheld and taken to the Thai Supreme Court, the countrys last court of appeal. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Magazines, Digital The police are getting a lot of not only domestic media coverage but also international, and are under pressure to make statements about progress.. Beach cleaners discovered the Britons naked bodies 20 m apart by rocks on idyllic Sairee Beach on Sept. 15. However, their supporters had claimed the pair had been framed and the evidence mishandled. Con Jovelle Balani, Byron Charnonneau, Alexandra Chubaty Boychuk, Daniel Cifuentes. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". Mrs Daniels went on to qualify as a paediatric nurse and the pair were married in 2018. Next, suspicion turned to a pair of Thai men that Sean McAnna, a 25-year-old Scottish friend of Millers, claims to have witnessed molesting Witheridge on the night before she was killed an altercation from which she was apparently rescued by Miller. He said he simply did not believe the killer would have taken the boat. Yeah, it was a but suspicious given they had the phone and there was apparently DNA evidence. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their "beautiful Hannah". We are not going into their personal information its just the details they have to fill out on the immigration form already, he said. The testimony is just the latest in a long series of shocking setbacks that threaten to sink not only the case, but also the Thai criminal justice system. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didn't know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. In a statement they said a memorial was planned near Plemont Bay on the north coast of Jersey later this month. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. They are both eligible under a section of the royal clemency decree to have their death sentences reduced to life in prison, Nakhon said. Shady. It was not immediately clear how many prisoners could receive pardons or reduced sentences based on the different criteria listed in the decree. Exact date yellow weather warning for snow and ice forecast to hit UK - will you be affected? Historic ocean treaty agreed after decade of talks, China looks at reforms to deepen Xi's control, Inside the enclave surrounded by pro-Russia forces, 'The nurses wanted me to feel guilty about my abortion, From Afghan TV fame to a US factory floor. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. "As well there have been many police procedural issues exposed this week, including many inconsistencies in the timing of events around the arrest of the accused.". Casey just wanted to come up with his own pronunciation of the Thai locations, but they're no more incorrect than the widely-accepted English mispronunciations of the places. In the request, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo have called for the kings compassion, added Andy Hall, advisor to the legal defense team. Two weeks ago, Hannah Witheridge was raped. That's not how being suicidal works! Bricklayer Luke Miller was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach in January 2016. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. "They were a really pitiful sight. The men have been charged with the murder of both Britons -- a charge which carries the death penalty. The men said they didn't use a condom, even though police insisted they had. Lin and Phyo (also known asWin Zaw Htun)were sentenced to death for the murder of Mr Miller and the murder and rape of Ms Witheridge. Do you know this baby? The trial is expected to conclude this month. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on 15 September last year. HARROWING photos of the corpses of English backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have surfaced online, traumatising their families. David Miller was her handsome friend from the Channel Islands. Lawyers for the two men had claimed evidence used in the case against them was mishandled and they made confessions under duress that they later retracted, raising questions about police competence and the judicial system in Thailand. . Matthew McConaugheys wife was among the passengers on board a Lufthansa flight struck by severe turbulence and has described the chaos. Although there were signs of sexual activity, investigators have not ascertained whether Witheridge was raped. Later that month, graduate Christina Annesley, 23, was said to have died of natural causes after mixing antibiotics she was taking for a chest infection with alcohol. He described the impact the tragic murder of Miss Witheridge had on the family, and how Mrs Daniels 'spearheaded the fight for justice for her sister'. The murders on Koh Tao, a laid-back haven for divers, sullied Thailand's image in the tourism industry, which accounts for about 10 per cent of the country's economy. Most of tourists are coming here for diving or to admire our nature not to party, Arnuparp said, adding new zoning curbs would likely control all-night bars and clubs. The main suspect in the crime is a fellow British backpacker, according to The Guardian. It only emerged in recent days that Witheridge, a speech therapy student from England, was brutally raped before her death. , updated The government has lowered its forecast for tourist arrivals this year to 25.9 million, down from an initial target of 28 million. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their. POLICE have finally made a breakthrough in investigating the shocking murders of two British backpackers whose battered bodies were found last month on a beach in southern Thailand, but mystery still surrounds the horrific discovery. La Polica tailandesa detuvo a dos birmanos por el doble asesinato. In addition to tagging tourists the Department of Tourism is keen to curb partying hours in visitor hot spots. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23 Forensic tests carried out on two British tourists murdered in Thailand have found that the woman died from severe head wounds, while the man had. Her death while pregnant was a 'double tragedy', area coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said as she recorded an open conclusion. We are confident that these people will be caught now or later.. All Rights Reserved. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in Thailand in 2014 Aug 17, 2020 Rex The two Burmese men who were jailed for killing British backpackers, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller, in. "She would have gone on to make a significant difference to the lives of many people.". OP!-----Get Free Roblox VIP Servers - https://bit. Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on 15 September last year. Lin and Phyo initially confessed to the killings but then retracted their statements saying they were tortured. Cuando Boyne Annesley busca al ltimo hombre que vio a su hija con vida, cree que ella estaba indagando sobre los asesinatos de Hannah Witheridge y David Miller en la playa Sairee en 2014. The spotlight fell on British tourist Christopher Alan Ware, who shared a room with Miller, with police hinting at a crime of passion. Ware was arrested at Bangkoks main airport with his brother James. Burmese migrant workers Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, also known as Win Zaw Htun, were found guilty of the murders and sentenced to death in December 2015. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. However, the three judges who handed down the original guilty verdicts and death penalties concluded the prosecution proved its case with forensic evidence that met international standards linking the men to the murders. They lost an appeal in 2017. Having backpacked a few parts of South-East Asia (tho not Thailand), theres def a dark underbelly to some of these tourist paradise places that is palpable and unsettling.. and that came through in the storytelling of the episode.