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. And at least six young Brits have all died in suspicious circumstances on the small island of Koh Tao, leading their loved ones to label it "Death Island". [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. A police officer told the trial of the severe injuries Miss Witheridge suffered and evidence she had been raped. Yearly, many professional photographers visit this lodge to capture herds of elephants crossing the dry lake in search of water . None of the families believe that the way the police said they died is actually how they died and they are all very unhappy with the investigation. Since then the Samui Times has been inundated with . 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! 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. [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. 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 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. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. 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. But many cases appear very suspicious according to family members and insufficiently investigated. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. 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. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. Although Koh Tao is one of the . With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. Top Kurunegala Forests: See reviews and photos of Forests in Kurunegala, Sri Lanka on Tripadvisor. Date: July 24, 2022. It leaves Khao San Songserm at either 1800 or 1900. The family has contested the police version of events. Today, we have gotten rid of them.. We'll be dignified for David. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. But, he said that most of these would have been present prior to his death, although he could not completely rule out the possibility that Nick had been attacked. News back pack murders in koh tao 2014 koh tao koh tao island mystery news in Thailand Thaiger news thailand thailand crime Thailand News thailand tourist thailand tourist . DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. Hannah was raped before she was killed. June 6, 2021. Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". Koh Tao murders: Thai court upholds death penalty for two men convicted of killing British backpackers . We have done our own investigation and we are sure she was murdered. 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. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? He said more security cameras would be installed on beaches. [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". In January 2014, 25-year-old Nick Pearson was found dead in the sea below a cliff while visiting the island. Bergen Area, Norway. With crystal-clear waters, perfect sandy beaches, palm trees and great nightlife. He had been dead about 10 days and had left to go snorkeling alone on November 8. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. A UK autopsy later revealedBen died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. Anthony Cardullo 2013 (USA); It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. Hannah was a fun, vibrant and beautiful young woman who will be sorely missed by all who knew her. 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.. Island authorities sued the online news site for violating the Computer Crime Act, which outlaws uploading false information online. 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. Frenchman, Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanging from the beam of a rented house on January 1, 2015. [31] Media reports speculated that was because the defence was wary of calling on foreign experts fearing it could appear as undermining the Thai justice system, and could bias the judges against their case. 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.. 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. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo (also known as Win Zaw Htun). To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. Police have, however, agreed to hand over the garden hoe which was the murder weapon, along with a shoe and a plastic bag. 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 [42][43] The police said the suspects' DNA matched a sample of semen taken from Witheridge's body, and to the hoe and cigarette butts found near the body. There were no signs of fighting or a struggle, nor were foreign objects or substances that could cause loss of consciousness found in the body.. Their explanations as to why these kids have died just dont add up- you dont have to be a pathologist or a doctor to know what weve been told is nonsensical.. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. [15] Public prosecutors initially rejected the report, asking for "certain flaws" to be fixed, more information to be supplied, and for the report to be made "more succinct". 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.". Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop on New Years Day 2014. "What we're after are some answers- whether we are going to get them or not I don't know. Dimitri Povse 2015; His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. The investigation of the Witheridge and Miller slayings was widely criticized as the crime scene was not properly secured, and questions were also raised about subsequent DNA testing. [51] This decision was criticised by the Solicitors International Human Rights Group, one of the observers at the trial. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. [26][27] However, her clothes were not tested for DNA. "Then I started thinking what's going on here?". [10], Witheridge and Miller travelled and arrived on the island separately on 25 August. Rocio Gomez; [7][12], Miller and Witheridge were last seen at a bar called AC Bar[13] with friends at a party on Sunday night with around 50 people mostly foreign tourists before they left together after 1am.