But many have concerns that the scene was contaminated immediately after the discovery of the bodies; myriad officials, journalists and even bewildered tourists were seen traipsing through the area while evidence was still being gathered. Powered by. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. DNA testing of casual workers was introduced and many migrants complained of rough interrogations, with some claiming that they were scalded with boiling water. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. 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. [3] The murders were the first cases of homicide on the island in over eight years. Family members of Hannah Witheridge comfort one another at the headquarters of the Royal Thai Police in Bangkok, on Sept. 18, 2014, Burmese migrant workers Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin arrive at the Koh Samui Provincial Court, in Koh Samui, Thailand, on July 8, 2015, Police measure footprints of a man as data is collected from people who work near the spot where bodies of two killed British tourists were found, on the island of Koh Tao, Thailand, on Sept. 19, 2014, David Miller, 24, from Jersey, left, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, Thailand is Suffering From The Worst Drought in Decades. A year after Millers death his parents unveiled a memorial for him, a bench on the north coast of his home island, inscribed, Never let a person sit alone. The sweet reek of marijuana is commonplace even in prominent beachfront bars, while cocaine and crystal meth, known locally as yaba or crazy drug, are not hard to find, say locals. Speaking exclusively to TIME at Koh Samui Prison, both appear much younger than their 22 years. Even though recent quasi-democratic reforms have seen an influx of tourist dollars and the rolling back of sanctions, that means little for the nations rural poor. Her housemate Lucy Dunkley said, No one could say a bad word about her. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. 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. When the bodies of British tourists 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller were found brutally murdered on the remote Thai island of Koh Tao, the police immediately concluded that the killer had to be a foreigner, as a Thai person couldn't be capable of such brutality. [74], The investigation was met with criticism by international media, human rights groups, and legal experts. Pensions and incomes that would be less than optimum in Europe, say, or North America, can fund a life of carefree hedonism in Thailand. Read about our approach to external linking. "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.". Legally, it would seem quite easy to shut these dive shops down., Insecure residency tends to breed compliance. Since then, he had managed to send back almost $2,000 to help his destitute family. Burmese people are treated as second-class citizens, says Saksith. Burmese migrant workers made up an additional 5,000, around 2,000 of these being illegal immigrants who bribe local police by paying 500 baht each month. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. Read about our approach to external linking. All Rights Reserved. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. Junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha enraged many by hinting that the blame, at some level, lay with the attractive victims. However, the investigators quickly dismissed him as a suspect. This is the wild west.. But it unraveled just as quickly. 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. [85][15][86] Prayut said that British and Burmese government representatives were "limited to observation" and had to "respect our processes". However, the defense counsel argued all the evidence against the defendants was circumstantial, and the police had no known eyewitness to the murders. However, the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment following a royal decree commemorating King Vajiralongkorns birthday. The police removed the bodies to prevent them from being swept up in the rising tide as the locals blocked the pier to stop the unidentified killers from leaving the island. [36] Footage near the crime scene also showed one of the three men running into a shortcut. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. grassroots elite basketball ; why does ted lasso have a southern accent . ; They also raised concerns with the absence of legal counsel prior to the confession, as well as difficulties with translation and interpretation. Hannah met David Miller by chance when they and their friends stayed in adjoining rooms of the Ocean View Bungalows, a small backpacker complex overlooking the white sand sweep of Sairee beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao. But in the early hours of 15 September last year the pair, who were together on the beach after leaving a nearby bar, died next to each other in the most horrific circumstances. The experience was clearly a very difficult one, with relatives walking out at one point when the court was shown images of Witheridges body, and heard details of her injuries. In a wildly controversial move, the police forced the suspects to re-enact the murder in front of the media a move condemned by legal experts as prejudicing a fair hearing. True Crime: In September of 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Koh Tao's famous Sairee beach, dead. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. Hannah Witheridge was a college student at the University of Essex and lived there, according to her Facebook page. She was just one of those beautiful, bubbly people, amazing inside and out. [11][19] Several other suspects were also named, amid pressure to produce results, a new one every other day. [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. His dad, Ian Miller, said, Its quite likely David was stepping in to assist a girl in trouble. 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. A mute Burmese beach cleaner stumbled upon the bodies shortly after dawn. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Analytical Services; Analytical Method Development and Validation Traditional longtail boats, a rainbow of scarves adorning their bows, bob on the lapping water of the glistening bay. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. The 18-day trial of the two defendants, divided into three equal parts over several weeks, began on July 8. The family of Hannah Witheridge, a backpacker who was murdered in Thailand, have had their "hearts broken" by a second death. But Koh Tao was a political penal colony from 1933 until 1947, and a sense of self-sufficiency and isolation exists to this day. Hannah Victoria Witheridge was born in Hemsby, Great Yarmouth Borough, in Norfolk, England, on October 15, 1990. Their bodies were found close to the beach bungalows where they had been staying. Miller, a year older and from Jersey, one of the U.K.'s Channel. WHEN Susan Witheridge heard her daughter Hannah wanted to go to Thailand she was terrified. This is troubling when set against the allegations of torture made by the accused. Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. 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. Jej rodina ji popsala jako ivouc" a nkoho, kdo rd . Direct quotations from the trial are unavailable, as the judges did not permit the public to take notes. But come on. 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.. Beach cleaners discovered the Britons . Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. However, the Thai police have denied these allegations and termed them baseless. There was so much he could be doing with his life, and having it cut short is unbelievably cruel. Wai was also convicted of theft and pled guilty to entering the country illegally, while Zaw was not charged since he held a work permitfor the two years preceding the murders. Thai king commutes sentence of UK pairs killers, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, Air strikes pound Sudan capital as truce extended, MasterChef Australia host Jock Zonfrillo dies. [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. She added, She always got along well on placement. 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 A mute Burmese beach cleaner stumbled upon the bodies shortly after dawn the following morning on Sairee Beach, near Hannahs room A5 at Ocean View Bungalows. Dabid had also suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. +(91)-9821210096 | paula deen meatloaf with brown gravy. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Over the coming weeks we hope to gain a better understanding as to how such a wonderful young man lost his life in such idyllic surroundings in such a horrible way, said Millers family in a statement at the opening of the trial. He hailed fromJersey, a Crown Dependency, and graduated from Victoria College in 2008. Zaw Lin was said to have entered between 2011 and 2012, and Wai Phyo in 2012. On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5 am, a few hours after their deaths.Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. Dehumanizing as it sounds, they are a commodity for some people., Asked whether he has a message for his compatriots considering working in Thailand, Wai Phyo simply says, Be careful when you go out at night as you might step in the wrong place., WE HAVE LEARNED TO TAKE CARE OF VISITORS. Miller had been a student at Victoria College, a fee-paying school on Jersey. [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. Hannah Witheridge, 23,front left, from Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, middle right, from Jersey, were brutally killed on the island of Koh Tao last September Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014. Sean . Mr Miller's family said they were "grateful" to the Thai king. "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.". [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. (Both families declined to comment when contacted by TIME.). But in Thailand, the police perform the entire process. That would be absolutely in his character.. These rocks are no strangers to explosive secrets. You have reached your limit of free articles. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. When the authorities were unable to pin the crime on migrant workers, they turned their attention toward Western tourists related to the victims. [63] They plead not guilty to the charge at the trial, but Wai Phyo changed his plea to guilty during the proceedings. Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about justice on Koh Tao. Thai king commutes Myanmar men's death sentence over Britons' murder, Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death, British backpacker murder case that put Thailand on trial, WhyUK role in backpackers murder case still worries rights groups, Why UK role in case still worries rights groups, in a statement released by the Foreign Office. A verdict is expected in October and they could face the death penalty if convicted. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014 Two Burmese migrants convicted over the killings had their death sentences reduced to life. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? [26][27] However, her clothes were not tested for DNA. The investigators raided Mau Maus home on October 2 and arrested one of the men named Zaw Lin. Mr Miller's family said they were "grateful" to the Thai king. VideoThe secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, LGBT troops take love for Eurovision to front line. Zaw and Wai were each indicted on five charges, including premeditated murder, killing to conceal a criminal offense, rape, illegal entry into Thailand, and staying in the country without permission. [67] Protesters called for the release of the two suspects, who they believed were innocent and scapegoated for the crime. Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. In a statement, Ian and Sue Miller, who have campaigned against the death penalty, said: "We are grateful to His Majesty the King of Thailand for showing his clemency to the murderers of our son David. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. Many believe the true culprits are local, and these suspicions were fueled after a Scottish friend of Miller fled the island claiming to have had his life threatened by local thugs. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo know this too well. Post-mortem examinations showed that the young backpackers, who. British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in September 2014, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the murders in a Thai court and originally sentenced to death, The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. 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. Hannah Victoria Witheridge se narodila v Hemsby, Great Yarmouth Borough, v Norfolku, Anglie, 15. jna 1990. Officials deny claims of torture and reports that men accused of killing Hannah Witheridge and David Miller withdrew confessions Jamie Doward Sat 11 Oct 2014 07.15 EDT Last modified on Sat 2 Dec . 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. RIP, Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. (Facebook). Little wonder the conversational staple of many long-term expats is, These are the worst Thais in Thailand.. A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. With tourism critical to Thailand's e. [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. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. [6] Miller had just completed his undergraduate degree in civil and structural engineering at the University of Leeds and was starting a master's degree. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. [95] The mayor of the island, Chaiyan Turasakul, announced a new police station and staffed it with 40 full-time officers, compared to five previously. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. The two young tourists were killed in the early hours of 15 September, 2014, after which their relatives endured a long wait for justice. The murders of Witheridge and Miller sent shock waves through Thailand. However, according to Rhys Bonney, an immigration adviser to expats in Thailand, even the legality of scuba-diving instructors is an extremely gray area as Thai work permits are specific to particular company premises. According to reports, the investigators had allegedly left them unclothed in freezing rooms and threatened to electrocute them. [1], A defence team from Bangkok, composed of nearly 20 lawyers, were only permitted half an hour to meet the men; a request by the defence to delay the hearing and allow more time to prepare was denied by a judge at the Koh Samui Provincial Court. Millers family also expressed confidence in the Thai judicial process, saying the evidence against the defendants seemed powerful and convincing. 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. Will [tourists] survive in Thailand if they dress in bikinis? he asked Sept. 17. 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. 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. Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. [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. The next in size is Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon parties, with a reputation for drugs and debauchery. The bodies of David Miller, 24, from Jersey and Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. The families of Miller and Witheridge even put out a statement saying the evidence against Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo was powerful and convincing. This assertion was facilitated by the U.K. Foreign Office despite being prejudicial toward the possibility of a fair trial. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. The largest and most developed is Koh Samui, which also boasts the archipelagos only international airport. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. [87][88] The protests angered Thailand's prime minister, who believed the demonstrations were a plot "instigated" to hurt the government. On 15 September, the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Sairee Beach on the island of Koh Tao, between 4 and 5 am, a few hours after their deaths. I did feel safe, but that is scary.. After finally receiving independent legal counsel, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, who had no prior criminal records, claimed they had been tortured during interrogation and recanted. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. Both entered through the Ranong Province, allegedly without presenting themselves at a port of entry and without possessing a passport. In September 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller only met by chance while backpacking on the island, but when their bodies were found together on Sairee Beach, they would become linked forever by a tragic mystery. He was returning from a placement in Australia when he stopped in Thailand for a holiday with a friend. Despite so many alleged loopholes in the investigation procedure, the court found Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo guilty of murder and sentenced them to death on December 24, 2015. Both were found dead early on the morning of September 15. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. In general, tourists are almost comically unaware of this malevolent undercurrent. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. Zaw and Wai were subjected to hours-long interrogation sessions, with the police using Burmese food vendors as interpreters since the pair did not speak Thai. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. They had no prior criminal records. Expats dont want to lose their time in paradise, Earley says, as its cheap, its nice living, and its very easy to ignore what happens.. Wai Phyo, a Real Madrid fanatic who idolizes FIFA world player of the year Cristiano Ronaldo, moves a virtually hairless top lip as he talks. [11] The two met in Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel. Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and . For while the surf has washed the blood from the sand, and life returns to normal for the islands hodgepodge of wealthy and penniless inhabitants, one fact remains clear: not just the boulders hide secrets on Koh Tao. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. Theories abound on Koh Tao about who killed Miller and Witheridge. According to reports, both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. How Did Steven Beirnes Die? A royal decree said the sentences had been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday on 28 July and to "illustrate the king's clemency". 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. The brutality of the incident shook the islands and its tourists and residents as the investigators began their probe under immense media and political pressure. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. At present, the case rests on DNA evidence linking cigarette butts found around 20 m from the bodies next to a crooked log where Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo admit they were playing guitar and drinking beer on the evening in question. A garden hoe and wooden club found nearby were quickly fingered as the principal murder weapons. Death Island podcast follows the Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. Miller, a year older and from Jersey, one of the U.K.s Channel Islands, had likewise suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. After unsuccessfully trying to find their possessions, they walked towards Mau Mau's house through the shortcut, which resulted in them being caught on CCTV. On July 10, the bench again ordered the DNA to be retested, only for the police to reveal that certain key samples specifically those retrieved from the victims bodies had been used up. British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were killed in September 2014, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the murders in a Thai court and originally sentenced to death, The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. . Dilleen Hempel Murder: Who Killed Her? (Thailand is the worlds third-largest seafood exporter.) [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. According to the prosecutors, the defendants used the garden hoe to knock Hannah unconscious and held her down as they raped her before murdering her. The second individual, Wai Phyo, had allegedly fled the island by boat the previous night. David and Hannah were seen together at a local pub called AC Bar with friends on September 14th, according to reports, before they left together at 1:00 am. These samples purportedly match those retrieved from Witheridges corpse. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". 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. [14][22] The police moved the bodies to prevent them being swept up in the rising tide. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. The team were only allowed to spend two hours on Koh Tao and did not meet with the suspects or defence. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned.
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