Grief: Relatives of David Miller and Hanna Witheridge hug . On Friday, Pornthip Rojanasunand, the head of Thailand's forensics institute, testified that DNA found on the hoe did not match that of the two accused men, the Telegraph reported. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. They will also have the opportunity to further reduce their sentences for good behavior. We have to look into the behavior of the other party [Witheridge and Miller] too, he said. "She would have gone on to make a significant difference to the lives of many people.". The two workers from Myanmar, wearing helmets and handcuffs, during a re-enactment of the alleged crime. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. The Sun website is regulated by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO), Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. It only emerged in recent days that Witheridge, a speech therapy student from England, was brutally raped before her death. All Rights Reserved. Thailands tourist industry is already reeling from the effects of marital law. David Miller & Hannah Witheridge murdered on Thailand Island The police commissioner for the island of Koh Tao, Lieutenant General Panya Mamen, told the Bangkok Post: Two of the suspects raped and killed Witheridge, the other witnessed the murder. Beware. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The exact area where there bodies were found was the village of Hat Sat Ri. Or, for the IPA-inclined, '/k/ /taw/'. The case attracted widespread media attention in the UK at the time. Our hearts are broken, our lives shattered again, the statement said. Both were detained on the island and questioned by police who brought them to the crime scene to re-enact their alleged crimes, a standard part of criminal investigations in Thailand. With tourism critical to Thailand's economy, police. 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'). Thai king commutes sentence of UK pairs killers, 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. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun were sentenced to death for the murder of David Miller and the murder and rape of Hannah Witheridge. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. The bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao . 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. 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. Mother of Hannah Witheridge tells inquest of heartache after other Masked men ambush holidaymakers on 'Death Island' beach where Brit Thai police initially blamed Burmese migrant workers (favorite targets, in the words of Paul Quaglia, a Bangkok-based risk analyst). They deny any involvement. DNA investigation into Thai beach murders 'incompetent at best' Thailands image as a tourist paradise has been badly damaged by the brutal murders. Read about our approach to external linking. Said so, I always like to see images of the victims and perpetrators to see how they looked like and for those of you who might be sensible to gruesome scenes, I recommend you not to look at Hannahs crime scene picture. We are no longer accepting comments on this article. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . I mean, I do understand why they provide what the relatives say about the victims because it is kind of important to know what they think, but it would certainly be good to have a disclaimer at the beginning of episodes sometimes to remind listeners that any opinions and sentiments expressed by the people involved in the case do not reflect the opinions and sentiments of the podcast. TWO men found guilty of murdering a pair of British backpackers in Thailand will be executed after their appeals were thrown out by the courts today. 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. Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller.Credit:British Foreign Office. Hannah Witheridge, David Miller Murders: 2 Burmese Men Confess On Friday, a Thai forensic expert said that DNA evidence from the supposed murder weapon did not match that of the accused. The trial of the two Burmese migrant workers was also plagued by accusations of human rights abuses. 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. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Thailand murders: Backpacker Hannah Witheridge had traces of semen in The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. If you have already listened to the episode, you can submit your rating at the Casefile Ratings Form. "This tree was another tower of Jersey strength brought crashing down before its time," they said. 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 bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao in 2014. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha OP!-----Get Free Roblox VIP Servers - https://bit. Whilst I dont believe the correct murderers were charged, please do not quote the woman who wrote the book. 18:37 GMT 11 Aug 2021. International legal and forensic scientists said in 2016 that the DNA investigation by the Thai Police Forensics Laboratory was incompetent with no chain of evidence. Or should Thai law not have this' Is it the case that we should release all people when pressured'," a visibly angry Prayuth told reporters before boarding a plane to the southern province of Surat Thani.Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun, both 22, were found guilty by a Thai court on Thursday of killing Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, whose . The pair were killed with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel rooms late at night on a beach. Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. 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. 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. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. 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. 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, but their sentences were changed to life in prison on Friday thanks to a royal decree. 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. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their. In 2019, the mothers of Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun filed a plea for clemency from the King of Thailand on Thursday, in a case tainted by allegations of wrongdoing, saying the couples confessions were obtained under duress. Also, ugly people are safe in Thailand but Burmese people are not. Thais wouldnt do this pronounced a leading policeman, and officers started rounding up Burmese laborers for interrogation and DNA tests. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop on New Years Day 2014. 2 min read. Please note: Starting with Case 200, we are using a new Casefile Ratings Form (200-). Doesn't seem like the killers would have left that behind. The case of Witheridge and Miller has, once again, laid bare the dichotomy between Thailands palm-fringed islands and dark underbelly immortalized in Alex Garlands 1996 dystopian novel The Beach. David Miller, 24, was found murdered on a beach on Koh Tao along with 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Brit David Miller was bludgeoned to death The terrifying incident happened just a year before David Miller and Hannah Witheridge died. 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. I here to deliver the same warning. Beach cleaners discovered the. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. "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.". Although there were signs of sexual activity, investigators have not ascertained whether Witheridge was raped. 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. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? . So sad to hear that young man murdered in Thailand was Jerseyman David Miller. Her death while pregnant was a 'double tragedy', area coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said as she recorded an open conclusion. 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 names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Sue Witheridge gave evidence at the inquest into the death of. We are saying that by giving them the death penalty, they will lose the opportunity to do something good with their lives, lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman said at the time. Their bodies were found close to the beach bungalows where they had been staying. Thai police admitted to moving Mr Miller's body, ostensibly to prevent it from washing away. National Crime Agency Helped Get Two Men Sentenced To Death In Thailand A post-mortem examination showed she had been raped. Thailand beach murders: Hannah Witheridge and David Miller may have ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. Drugs, rape and assault are an unfortunate consequence of Thailands reputation for hedonism, and the criminal elements it attracts. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo - also known as Win Zaw Htun - were found guilty of the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and the murder of David Miller, 24, on December 24, 2015. Finally, he said he did not think it was relevant that CCTV footage showed men fleeing from the area in clothing that was different to that worn by the Myanmar workers that night. What science tells us about the afterlife. But their confession was, itself, confused. A baby girl has died in tragic circumstances on a family holiday, after ingesting drugs her parents believe were left out in an Airbnb. The families of two British tourists murdered in Thailand have spoken of their "torturous pain" and "destroyed lives" one year on from the deaths. Mrs. Daniels had been seriously ill, said the family statement confirming that she passed away on Sept. 16. A few days later, staff checked her room to discover her mobile phone, passport and camera had all been left behind. Yeah, it was a but suspicious given they had the phone and there was apparently DNA evidence. I doubt we'll ever know the truth. Thai National police today charged two Myanmar men with murder and rape after they confessed to killing the pair, with AFP reporting their DNA matched traces at the crime scene on Koh Tao island. Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two lives cut short The two young tourists were killed in the early hours of 15 September, 2014, after which their relatives. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: British backpackers murdered in Thailand 2014 : r/CrimeScene 5 yr. ago Posted by GoreGirl89 NSFW Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: British backpackers murdered in Thailand 2014 imgur This thread is archived New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast 329 42 42 comments Top [deleted] 5 yr. ago 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. Thailand beach murder: David Miller 'died a hero' stopping Hannah This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Given the handling of the case, its pretty clear that Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo definitely didnt do it. Police initially named a British friend of hers as a person of interest, then began taking DNA samples from hundreds of suspects. Read about our approach to external linking. Laura Daniels, 30, died five years after her sister Hannah, 23, was killed on Koh Tao with David Miller of Jersey. Losing a loved one is so hard, imagine having doubt about if the right people were charged. dtao' (the ? David Miller is from the island of Jersey in the English channel between the United Kingdom and France. It was not immediately clear how many prisoners could receive pardons or reduced sentences based on the different criteria listed in the decree. The second-gen Sonos Beam and other Sonos speakers are on sale at Best Buy. She also preyed upon the families of the victims to suit her narrative. Powered by. First, Thai police admitted in court that they never bothered to check CCTV footage of a boat leaving from a nearby pier just an hour after the killings. What science tells us about the afterlife. On September 14, 2014, they attended an all-night party on Koh Tao's idyllic Sairee Beach, a swathe of emerald water and white sands. Her sister Hannah Witheridge was found dead on a beach in Thailand in 2014 . Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller - Casefile True Crime The 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. Ms Witheridge was found with her face smashed in, her skirt wrenched up and her body showing signs of rape. That's not how being suicidal works! Why Koh Tao Murder Case Should Be Thrown Out They lost an appeal in 2017. 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. 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. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. Turtle Island's Dark Secret: The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller Read about our approach to external linking. 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. 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. Would love your thoughts, please comment. According to the Burmese suspects it was stolen from them while swimming. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Hannah was also raped. It turned out that the latter had left Koh Tao the night before the murders and so was above suspicion. My bets are that it was someone belonging to the Thai mafia. 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. And wasnt the English guy that was an initial suspect found with a blood stained guitar? The thing that struck me about this episode was the guitar. I also found that extremely weird it was brought up once and never again. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Pictures of Thai murder victim Hannah Witheridge's body circulate on The convictions were mired in a controversy with supporters of the two men who argued that they had been indicted and that they had initially confessed to the crimes under duress. 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. Bricklayer Luke Miller was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at the Sunset Bar at Sairee Beach in January 2016. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. 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. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". Last month, a court on Koh Samui - 64 kilometres from Koh Tao - ordered that the remaining forensic evidence in the case be sent for re-examination. 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. Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency - BBC News Thailand beach murders: Hannah Witheridge's family beg for - mirror Really sad that the victims pictures are in the internet like this. It's one thing to say they never expressed suicidal thoughts previously but even in this episode the one parent said something like "they didnt express any suicidal thoughts in the last conversation I had with them" which is normal for people that end up committing suicide. If you have already listened to the episode, you can submit your rating at the Casefile Ratings Form. 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. Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered Credit: British Foreign Office That's when the killers pounced. Please try again later. The pair - who now face death by lethal injection - were even forced to re-enact the murders after their apparent confessions. The Daily Telegraph reports that the two were seen leaving a bar at around 1 a.m. Sky News reports that Witheridge had been traveling with three friends. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. Autopsies showed that Witheridge died from head wounds while Miller suffered severe blows to the head and drowned in the surf. With no DNA evidence and a contested confession, the case appears to be collapsing. 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. The main suspect in the crime is a fellow British backpacker, according to The Guardian. Hannah Witheridge was a 23-year-old speech therapy student who planned to return to her studies in the summer after her island getaway. "They were a really pitiful sight. Sister of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge was pregnant when she Hannah Witheridge was a beautiful blonde from eastern England. But there were also fears the. She screams, he panics, so he hits her multiple times with the hoe to make her shut up - not rage as much as fear and desire to stop her screams. . He has now apparently fled into hiding in fear for his life. 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. And even Sairee was mispronounced. 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. Feel so sorry for their families. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. Our hearts go out to the Witheridge family who are also coming to terms with the sudden trauma of the equally senseless ending of their Hannahs life, Mr Millers family said in a statement earlier this week. 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". 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. Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island on New Year's Day 2015. Coming just four months after a coup had installed a military junta in power, the case quickly became a litmus test of the new government's commitment to fighting crime. Very strange. Mrs Daniels went on to qualify as a paediatric nurse and the pair were married in 2018. Putting names to archive photos, The children left behind in Cuba's mass exodus, In photos: India's disappearing single-screen cinemas. These two kindred spirits meet for the first time on the . Mr Miller was found four metres away, face up, with a blow to the head and water in his lungs. The inquest, which began last month and finished on Wednesday, heard that Mrs Daniels had a complex medical history and had undergone numerous surgeries and treatments at various hospitals over the years. Critics, particularly those from the British media, have accused Thai authorities of bungling the investigation in the three weeks since the murders by chasing the wrong leads and failing to lock down the island in the hours following the killing. Two of the suspects raped and killed Witheridge while another witnessed the murder, Thai police told the Bangkok Post. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Corpse photos of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on internet Finally, police appeared to have found their footing when they arrested two 22-year-old migrants from Myanmar who, police claimed, had confessed to the crimes. We are not challenging judgment. Instead, he told the court that the hoe was examined under a magnifying glass but investigators decided there were no viable fingerprints or DNA to collect, Sky News reported. Bystanders, including a TV reporter, were roped in to play the parts of the victims. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. These two kindred spirits meet for the first time on the . The seemingly sluggish response was compounded by insensitive comments made by the coup-leading prime minister, Prayut Chan-O-Cha, who was forced into a rare public apology after suggesting women wearing bikinis could be more vulnerable to attack. The men alleged that they had been tortured by the police, and legal teams claimed that the evidence was misused. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? The island is known as a haven for scuba divers. POLICE have finally made a breakthrough in the shocking murders of two British backpackers in Thailand, but mystery still surrounds the horrific discovery. Cookie Notice 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. Crowds of onlookers watched as the suspects were led to the rocky alcove along the shore where the two bodies were discovered. THANK YOU. The killings roiled Koh Tao, a 2000-hectare island buoyed by tourism. "They told me that they were on the beach that night drinking and singing songs," said attorney Aung Myo Thant, a Myanmar embassy official, The Guardian reported. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side. They lost their appeal in 2017. Thailand: Koh Tao Murder Trial Exposed. Ugly Truth of 'Land of Smiles The sister of a British backpacker murdered in Thailand died in a 'double tragedy' while nine weeks pregnant, an inquest has heard. What the Murder of Two Young British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand 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. This episode has been added to the Casefile Spreadsheet. Their bodies were found semi-naked and severely battered, and both had severe head wounds. He may have been protecting fellow victim Hannah Witheridge. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. 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. Nor did his department fully test the alleged murder weapon. 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. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know 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.'. He said the plan would be rolled out soon on popular resort islands such as Koh Tao and Koh Phangan and also the tourist beach area of Pattaya. Do you know this baby? "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.". Corpse photos of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller on internet