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. [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. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Sister of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge was pregnant when she Thailand backpacker murders: bar workers found guilty of killing British tourists, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. But the seemingly idyllic paradise of Koh Tao, once known as Turtle Island, has turned from beauty to horror as a string of brutal murders and unexplained disappearances have rocked the community islands volcanic inception. They partied together, with the couple last seen together at a local bar called AC Bar with friends on September 14. Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. [23] Local residents blocked the pier to prevent the unidentified killers from leaving the island. One belonged to David, and one belonged to an unknown Asian male. The family of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge has been hit by a fresh tragedy with the sudden death of her sister. [44] In December 2014, the suspects were each indicted on five charges: premeditated murder, killing to conceal a criminal offence, rape, illegal entry into Thailand, and staying in the country without permission. Many raised concerns that contamination cast doubt upon the forensic evidence: officials, journalists and tourists were seen walking around the crime scene, and Thai police did not use trained or independent specialists to collect forensic evidence. 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. One of the men Mau Mau resided nearby. Read about our approach to external linking. This was very different. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve. funny ways to say home run grassroots elite basketball Menu . Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and . RIP, Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014. How Did Steven Beirnes Die? 2040 / 2557", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Koh_Tao_murders&oldid=1150069590, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 April 2023, at 05:03. British backpacker Thailand murders: What happened to David Miller and Traditional longtail boats, a rainbow of scarves adorning their bows, bob on the lapping water of the glistening bay. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. This is troubling when set against the allegations of torture made by the accused. Corpse photos of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on internet Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the . 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. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Witheridge is a native of Great Yarmouth in the Southwest coast of England. Miller, a year older and from Jersey, also suffered blows to the head and left to drown in the shallow surf. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. Complaining about wrongdoing may invite official questions and demands for passports and documentation. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. [55], The defence claimed that the investigation was flawed due to mishandling of forensic evidence, lack of legal representation during interrogations, use of threats and intimidation to secure a confession, and intimidation of witnesses. He announced that he had "ordered all security-related agencies to track down those who are behind the Myanmar demonstrations". Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Koh Tao is by far the smallest. The officers also charged Wai with stealing Davids mobile phone. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Telegraph.co.uk. The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller-Death Island Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo are two of an estimated 2 million irregular Burmese migrants, along with smaller numbers from neighboring Cambodia and Laos, currently working low-paid jobs in comparatively thriving Thailand. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. Dabid had also suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. [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. Millers family also travelled to Koh Samui, the larger island near Koh Tao where the trial was held, to see some of the evidence. The investigators raided Mau Maus home on October 2 and arrested one of the men named Zaw Lin. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . Koh Tao murders - Wikipedia Hannah was also raped. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object, resulting in head and face wounds. The two men were convicted and sentenced in 2015 and the verdict was upheld by an appeals court in 2017 and the Supreme Court in August 2019. More recently, a court order to allow Dr. Pornthip to review the DNA evidence was rescinded. Is climate change killing Australian wine? 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. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. The crimes brutality amid Koh Taos insular, backpacker charm caused an international sensation and threatened to further weaken a tourist industry already reeling from the military coup of May 22, 2014, which saw hundreds arbitrarily detained and draconian new controls imposed on freedom of speech and assembly. With tourism critical to Thailand's e. The trial drew wide criticism from the international press and human rights groups. According to reports, they allegedly confessed to the murders, stating the migrant workers wanted to rape Hannah after getting aroused while reportedly seeing her kissing David on the beach. You have reached your limit of free articles. Once youve been living there for a while, youll turn a blind eye to some pretty sketchy stuff, says Mike Earley, 30, from New Zealand, who spent six months on the island working as a DJ. All rights reserved. Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. [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". The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. Witheridge and Miller are the two British tourists who were found dead after being chopped up on a Thailand beach. Pensions and incomes that would be less than optimum in Europe, say, or North America, can fund a life of carefree hedonism in Thailand. [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]. His dad, Ian Miller, said, Its quite likely David was stepping in to assist a girl in trouble. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & 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 from her door. The police found a garden hoe and a wooden club nearby, which were quickly determined as the principal murder weapons. [34][35], According to the prosecution in the subsequent case, CCTV footage analysed by the police showed three individuals riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven, where they bought beer and cigarettes, before going towards Sairee Beach. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about j Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. 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. I think my lasting memory of him will be his smile, wonderful sense of humor, and ability to put his ideas across with conviction and thoughtfulness. David, then 24, had recently graduated in civil and structural engineering from the University of Leeds and planned onstarting a masters degree. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". And right in the foreground, rising proudly from sliver sands, protrude a scattering of granite boulders, a furtive relic of this tranquil 21-sq-km (8 sq. They were identified as 24-year-old David Miller and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge, [] View Photo Gallery (PIX11/CNN) A British man and woman were found dead on a popular resort island in . [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. [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. Will [tourists] survive in Thailand if they dress in bikinis? he asked Sept. 17. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Is climate change killing Australian wine? Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? She was a real natural with them.. Analytical Services; Analytical Method Development and Validation They also pointed out several mistakes the incompetent investigators committed during the probe and alleged the officers restored to torture to make the defendants admit to the crime. The investigators claimed the semen sample retrieved from Hannahs body and the forensic evidence found on the murder weapons and cigarette butts matched their DNA samples. The second individual, Wai Phyo, had allegedly fled the island by boat the previous night. He was returning from a placement in Australia when he stopped in Thailand for a holiday with a friend. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years.
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