GUILTY Thailand - David Miller, 24, & Hannah Witheridge, 23, Koh Tao, 15 Sep 2014

[zwiebel]

Reports are coming in that two British nationals (male and female) have been found dead of terrible head wounds, on a Thai beach in Koh Tao.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29203116

'The naked bodies of two British tourists who had apparently been attacked with a hoe have been found on a beach, police have said.

The victims - believed to be a 23-year-old woman and 24-year-old man - were found with gruesome head wounds on a rocky beach on Koh Tao, an island in Surat Thani province known for its diving sites and stunning beaches.'

http://news.sky.com/story/1336026/british-tourists-found-dead-on-thailand-beach

 

[zwiebel]

'The woman had been raped, according to local reports.'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...sts-found-dead-on-Thai-island-of-Koh-Tao.html

 

[zwiebel]

'Police have locked down the island of Koh Tao after the half-naked bodies of two foreign tourists were found brutally murdered there this morning.

Reports say that all piers on the popular resort island were closed after police launched an intensive manhunt to find the killers of the victims in their early 20s. Police said no identification was found on the bodies, but they are believed to be British.

Police have not yet notified their next of kin.'

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crimes/432369/tourists-murdered-on-koh-tao

 

[katydid23]

Oh no. How tragic. I have no doubt the local police are working hard to find the killers. Something like that will ruin their tourist industry if they don't make the necessary effort to quell fears. I hope they catch them.

 

[zwiebel]

It's in Surat Thani province and this report says it was the island's residents who rushed to the port to prevent the suspects leaving.

The couple are said to have attended a party nearby and police are checking cctv. I guess from that, they have been told who the couple are but can't confirm, as the bodies were found naked and without ID.

My thoughts are with the families of these young people.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/126710/thailand-2-british-tourists-found-dead-on-koh-tao-beach/

 

[Lulu14]

How awful. Sounds like they were on a fairly populated island/beach as well. Wonder if it was a random attack, or a planned one, since their bungalow was so close to the where they were found dead.

 

[zwiebel]

A lot of info on this Thai expat forum here, where they have been tracking events from very early on. All linked and not full of speculation or anything.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic...sts-found-brutally-murdered-on-koh-tao-beach/

 

[zwiebel]

An early report here named the victims, but has now with withdrawn them until families have been informed. One victim may be a Dutch/Dutch-British citizen.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/09/15/british-tourists-murdered-stripped-koh-tao-beach

 

[zwiebel]

The names are being widely reported now. It seems to me they are both British, even if the female had dual citizenship, as that's a British name.

http://www.epa.eu/webgatecrime-law-...-tourists-murdered-on-koh-tao-photos-51570770

 

[katydid23]

A lot of info on this Thai expat forum here, where they have been tracking events from very early on. All linked and not full of speculation or anything.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic...sts-found-brutally-murdered-on-koh-tao-beach/

Thanks for that link. I scanned the forum and I guess that local crime in that beach area has been problematic for awhile now. And I hadn't realized the couple had been staying there in a beach bungalow for weeks already. Sadly, they were noticed by the wrong people.

 

[zwiebel]

'The Foreign Office (FCO) confirmed the dead woman was from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, while the man was from Jersey, in the Channel Islands.

The FCO has also sent a representative to the island to assist with the investigation. '

http://news.sky.com/story/1336026/british-tourists-found-dead-on-thailand-beach

 

[Lulu14]

I think I found her Fb. Poor girl, so young, so innocent looking.

 

[dotr]

Disgusting!
Since the female received gruesome blows to the face, wonder if this was a personal attack, instigated by jealousy?

maybe...
bbm

"And as further details began to emerge today, detectives were said to be searching for a British man, believed to be a friend of one of the victims, who left the island on an early ferry this morning and is heading to Bangkok, ITV News reported"

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...le-Irish-friend-Thai-beach.html#ixzz3DOYSYY6j
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[dotr]

http://www.citifmonline.com/2014/09/15/woman-raped-and-murdered-on-thai-beach/

"The man was chopped in the back and on the side of his head, while the woman was chopped in her face,’ police chief Prachum Ruangthong said. ‘It’s very gruesome.’

He said the victims’ clothes and a bloodstained hoe were found near the bodies.

Police said they have no immediate suspects and are checking more camera footage in search of the attacker.

‘We don’t know who the suspect might be yet, but we have talked to different witnesses who might lead us to some clues,’ Mr Kiattipong said".

bbm
He added that the woman was travelling with three other friends."

 

[dotr]

Sorry, 3 in row..


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ckpackers-are-murdered-on-holiday-island.html

"We need to talk to this man as a matter of urgency," said a spokesman for the Thai police.

Detectives said the man is believed to have left the island on the first available ferry to the mainland and was thought to be heading for Bangkok.

Police also temporarily detained another friend of the victim after it emerged that he had injuries to his hands, but he was released after providing what the police described as a "satisfactory explanation".

Police Colonel Songsak, who was brought in from the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan said: "We wish to interview [the victim's] friend, but we cannot give out his details at this stage. His name has been circulated. They all arrived together on August 25th. We need to talk to him as a matter of urgency."

Colonel Songsak said the female victim had arrived on Koh Tao with three friends on September 12th and had met the other group just three days ago".

bbm.

Adding...


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...ckpackers-are-murdered-on-holiday-island.html
"While the police have expressed an interest in tracing the travelling companions of the male victim, most murders of foreigners in Thailand are committed by locals."

 

[trigger]

This is horrible. Horrific.

Their poor families.

 

[gia2]

Many articles seem to imply that both the male and female were partially nude when found e.g. here and that the two victims appear to have left the beach party together. As they were staying in the same hotel, they could have just decided to walk back together as they were leaving at a similar time or that their friends had already left or were staying out later.

Pure speculation, but perhaps they wanted to have some 'alone time' and went off together and were followed by the male victim's friend. I believe at this point the rape is speculated rather than confirmed, has anyone seen conformation of it? Could we have a concensual act between the victims before the perp caught up with them? (This is not intended to be negative towards the victims or their families, just a possible situation).

It sounds a very brutal attack, absolutely terrible. I feel so sad for these two young people who went away wanting adventure and fun only for this to happen.

 

[dotr]

"David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, were battered to death.

A blood-stained hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby.

More follows."

Read more at http://www.capitalfm.com/on-air/new...-thai-beach-attack-named/#Hbyive2uO3T573hx.99

 

[dotr]

"Miller, from Jersey in the Channel Islands, appears to have been travelling across Asia and Australia before he made his way to popular tourist destination Koh Tao.

Photos on his page show Miller painting party-goers' bodies in preparation for a Full Moon party days before he was reportedly killed.

Colonel Prachum Ruangthong said the victims' bodies were found naked on a rocky beach, with the woman reportedly wearing just a bikini top and their clothes blood-stained.

According to local reports, the woman had been raped in an attempted robbery."
bbm

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/koh-tao-th...-named-back-pack-murder-victims-first-1465533

 

[dotr]

"According to the Lonely Planet travel guides, Koh Tao welcomes thousands of visitors who "come to worship the turquoise waters offshore". Its bright coral, sharks and rays bring in divers, hikers enjoy jungle walks and the bar scene 'rages on until dawn'.

The bodies were found 100 metres away from the scene of a beach party, according to a local report.
It was believed that attackers may have been waiting to target the pair as they walked off at the end of the party, which was attended by a group of international revellers.

States of Jersey Police said family liaison officers were working with a family and close relatives of the dead man were thought to have been informed.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/thai-beach-murders-first-pictures-4264387#ixzz3DPGZfxrp
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