"DNA and forensics evidence relied on to convict Zaw Law and Wai Phyo, and sentence them to death in the Koh Tao murder case was fundamentally flawed and unreliable in terms of international standards.". 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. Frenchman Dimitri Povse, 29, was found hanged in a bungalow on the island on New Year's Day 2015. So sad to hear that young man murdered in Thailand was Jerseyman David Miller. In March 2015 Russian touristValentina Novozhyonova, 23,vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao in mid-February - sparking a police search. Mr Miller's family said their "daily thoughts" were still with their son a year after his death, adding he was "a unique and wonderful man". Drugs, rape and assault are an unfortunate consequence of Thailands reputation for hedonism, and the criminal elements it attracts. Beware. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their "beautiful Hannah". 'Hannah was gripping blond hair before she died' - claim (but perhaps not as dramatic as it sounds) Murder victim David Miller likely struggled with his attacker in the sea off the Thai holiday island of Koh Tao before being hacked to death. I wish true crime media would stop using this reasoning altogether. Ms. Witheridge, a student at the University of Essex from Hemsby, Norfolk, was beaten to death in thailand. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tuns mothers appealed to the Koh Samui court in May 2016 over concerns about the verdicts, particularly the DNA evidence used in the investigation. 'No one knows, and that must be one of the hardest things for families and friends - for a young person to die and for despite all the investigation, all the inquest process we end up simply not knowing.'. 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. They lost their appeal in 2017. That's not how being suicidal works! The island is known as a haven for scuba divers. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. What science tells us about the afterlife. 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.'. The bodies of Miss Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, were found on the resort island of Koh Tao in 2014. 18:34 GMT 11 Aug 2021 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. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller casefilepodcast 70 56 56 comments Add a Comment Lisbeth_Salandar 4 mo. He may have been protecting fellow victim Hannah Witheridge. In a statement, Miss Witheridge's family said their daughter had been "taken from us in the most horrific way possible" and learning of her death had been an "indescribably impossible time". Belgian backpackerElise Dallemagne, 30, was found hanged in the hillson the island on April 28, 2017. A summary of the appeal by the 'Koh Tao Two' against conviction and the death sentence for the murders of British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller appears to totally demolish a sloppy prosecution case in the controversial trial in Thailand. Its also reported that Witheridge had been raped prior to her death, those reports were later found to be unfounded. The two suspects, identified only as "Saw" and "Win," appeared at a news conference this week where the Thailand police commissioner said that DNA samples from . To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Asesinato es una palabra aterradora. I also found that extremely weird it was brought up once and never again. http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/world-news/thailand-police-parade-burmese-killers-of-hannah-witheridge-and-david-miller-in-front-of-cameras-on-koh-tao-30635263.html They are both eligible under a section of the royal clemency decree to have their death sentences reduced to life in prison, Nakhon said. Also, this may be controversial to say, but in reality we can never really take any sentiments shared by the family members (positive or negative) of the victims all that seriously (at least initially) because of how close they are to the cases. .06. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". , updated Losing a loved one is so hard, imagine having doubt about if the right people were charged. Powered by. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didn't know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. Yeah, it was a but suspicious given they had the phone and there was apparently DNA evidence. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. Two weeks ago, Hannah Witheridge was raped. 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. But the trial recently heard that a garden hoe alleged to have been used in the killings carried the DNA of two men, but there was no trace of either defendant. All times AEDT (GMT +11). Questions remain over how the pair got to the beach and what they were planning for the remainder of the evening. being a glottal stop). So those other people were probably also murdered, but I am SO tired of relatives saying "she didn't kill herself, she was so happy" being used as a real argument that someone didn't kill themself. Killed in Thailand: British tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller. The men alleged that they had been tortured by the police, and legal teams claimed that the evidence was . It was not immediately clear how many prisoners could receive pardons or reduced sentences based on the different criteria listed in the decree. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were murdered on a Thai island in 2014 REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha vanished from her hostel on Koh Tao in mid-February - sparking a police search, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). Pictures of killed British tourists David Miller and Hannah Witheridge and a message of support to their friends and families are displayed during special prayers at Koh Tao island on Sept. 18, 2014, Thailand's Increasingly Strange Strongman, What America's Richest Ski Town's Handling of COVID-19 Shows. Credit:Reuters. According to the BBC, staff from the British embassy left for Koh Tao soon after the news broke of the murders. If anything happens to them we will then know their names, nationality and hotel, said Arnuparp Gaesornsuwan, director general of the Department of Tourism told AFP. Agreed. A cruise employee has had his contract terminated after he was allegedly seen filming women from a female bathroom. Mr Miller was found four metres away, face up, with a blow to the head and water in his lungs. A UK autopsy later discovered Ben died of a transected aorta a rupture of the bodys largest artery rather than a broken neck. "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.". La Polica tailandesa detuvo a dos birmanos por el doble asesinato. In addition to tagging tourists the Department of Tourism is keen to curb partying hours in visitor hot spots. Very strange. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side. The BBC reports that police in the area believe the man has already escaped Koh Tao. David Miller, 24, from Jersey in the Channel Islands, had been backpacking across Asia and Australia before spending time on the popular party island of Koh Tao. - Listen to Case 236: Sophie Lionnet by Casefile True Crime instantly on your tablet, phone or browser - no downloads needed. The men said they didn't use a condom, even though police insisted they had. Both bodies were found lying on a beach, stripped naked and bloodied. Credit: British Foreign Office That's when the killers pounced. And wasnt the English guy that was an initial suspect found with a blood stained guitar? It only emerged in recent days that Witheridge, a speech therapy student from England, was brutally raped before her death. 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. They deny any involvement. CCTV footage shows the two leaving a bar together just hours before their battered bodies were discovered. Defense lawyers argued that DNA from a garden hoe allegedly used as a murder weapon did not match samples taken from the men. We have discussed it with hotel operators and they are willing to do it, he said. Wai Phyo and Zaw Lin had denied killing Mr Miller and raping and killing Miss Witheridge. Thai authorities say IT manager Ben Harrington, 32, broke his neck when he crashed into an electricity pylon on a night-time moped ride on the island in August 2012. Stricter rules for hiring migrant workers across the archipelago were introduced in the wake of the killings with astonishing speed. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, The bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Koh Tao, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo - seen at court today - now face execution, Supporters of the pair have always maintained their innocence, Tourists take pictures on the island of Koh Tao, Thailand, The pair were forced to do a re-enactment of the murders after confessing, Ms Witheridge, 23, had been raped and bludgeoned to death, The Brits were killed as they walked back to their hotel, Forensics team search for clues after the shocking murders in 2014, Murderers of Brit backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller to be EXECUTED after losing last-ditch appeal in Thai court, Putin's thugs close in on ravaged Ukrainian city with thousands fleeing as intense fighting rages, Partygate buster Sue Gray's son 'boasting about mum on campaign trail as he tries to unseat Boris Johnson', Suella Braverman vows to stop the boats with new law to crack down on migrants using human rights laws to stay in UK, Runaway mum Constance Marten was 'groomed' by evil Nigerian sect leader, Man 'naked and covered in blood' arrested before mum found 'murdered' at home as neighbours reveal hearing screams, Rishi Sunaks new bill to end the Channel migrant crisis is crucial for the Tories, Leicester 'explosion': Listen to massive 'sonic' boom that shook homes and rattled windows. Privacy Policy. However, the three judges who handed down the original guilty verdicts and death penalties concluded the prosecution proved its case with forensic evidence that met international standards linking the men to the murders. We have to look into the behavior of the other party [Witheridge and Miller] too, he said. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. 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. This episode has been added to the Casefile Spreadsheet. 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. But far from attempting to address the issues of visitor safety, Thai army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the nations self-appointed Prime Minister following a May 22 military coup, has stoked outrage by pointing fingers at the victims. Thailands image as a tourist paradise has been badly damaged by the brutal murders. Read about our approach to external linking. 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. Thanks for that. Around three weeks ago, on September 15, their bodies were found together . However, no toxicology report was conducted. Sky News reports that Miller was chopped in the back and the side of his head, Witheridges injuries were to her head. The bodies of 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014. Bystanders, including a TV reporter, were roped in to play the parts of the victims. If you would like to rate cases 1-199, please do so at this Casefile Ratings Form (1-199). The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Thai police initially blamed Burmese migrant workers (favorite targets, in the words of Paul Quaglia, a Bangkok-based risk analyst). I tend to want to see what the players look like after I am done listening, and some of the images that came up should just not be online. Read about our approach to external linking. All Rights Reserved. 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. Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Htun were sentenced to death for the murder of David Miller and the murder and rape of Hannah Witheridge. "This tree was another tower of Jersey strength brought crashing down before its time," they said. The decree released Friday said the royal pardons were granted to mark the kings birthday on July 28 and to illustrate the kings clemency.. The vast majority of them have safe and enjoyable holidays, but a few are not so lucky. When is Eurovision and how do you get tickets? And even Sairee was mispronounced. 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. Jacob Thorburn For Mailonline, 'You lose one daughter, you don't expect to lose another': Mother of murdered British backpacker Hannah Witheridge, 23, tells of heartache after her other daughter, 30, dies in hospital while pregnant, Risking their lives for a tan: Sunbathers are pictured lying feet from scene of major rock fall that hit the beach over the weekend, Pavement where disabled woman gestured at cyclist before fatal crash, TN residents say Jack Daniel's distillery spews black mold, Incredible footage of Ukrainian soldiers fighting Russians in Bakhmut, Pro-Ukrainian drone lands on Russian spy planes exposing location, 'Buster is next!' Hannah Witheridge was a 23-year-old speech therapy student who planned to return to her studies in the summer after her island getaway. 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. It was a year ago that the bodies were discovered on the beach: nearly naked, their blood mixing with the morning surf. The pair said they offered information to. 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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. Shady. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Her other daughter, Hannah Witheridge, was killed in a brutal double murder in a tourist hotspot in Thailand seven years ago. Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. You have reached your limit of 4 free articles. Specially how their entire investigation depended entirely on their DNA evidence, which honestly, sounded like it either was completely made up or staged. A post-mortem examination was unable to determine a cause of death for Mrs Daniels, a paediatric nurse who lived in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Myanmar men withdrew their first confessions to the crimes, saying that they were tortured by the police. It would be "a place where Dave's spirit and love of life may be with you". Crowds of onlookers watched as the suspects were led to the rocky alcove along the shore where the two bodies were discovered. "They're pleading with the Burmese government to look into the case and find out the truth," he added. This was the first Casefile that Ive really questioned their research. Read about our approach to external linking. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? 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. If you have already listened to the episode, you can submit your rating at the Casefile Ratings Form. 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 . Her death while pregnant was a 'double tragedy', area coroner Rosamund Rhodes-Kemp said as she recorded an open conclusion. . Police initially named a British friend of hers as a person of interest, then began taking DNA samples from hundreds of suspects. 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. Sun 23 Nov 2014 10.54 EST Last modified on Wed 29 Nov 2017 23.45 EST. They had been bludgeoned to death. Autopsies showed that Witheridge died from head wounds while Miller suffered severe blows to the head and drowned in the surf. Then came Friday's bombshell about the DNA on the bloody hoe. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. 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. McAnna, a busker well known on Koh Tao as Guitarman, took a photo of the Thais and uploaded it to the Internet, after which he began receiving death threats. Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller met on Koh Tao while staying at the same hotel in Thailand. His family accused the Thai police of a cover-up. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital The case attracted widespread media attention in the UK at the time. The pair were killed with a wooden hoe as they walked back to their hotel rooms late at night on a beach. Two workers from Myanmar, formerly called Burma, are on trial for the tourists' murders, but the case is quickly unravelling in court. "The second roti seller has been on the stand and it's become very clear that he does not have much of grasp of Thai at all so we don't understand how he could have translated for police," Andy Hall, a British migrant rights advocate who is assisting the defence, told the newspaper. 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. Nick Pearson, 25, was found floating in an island bay, at the foot of a 50ft drop on New Years Day 2014. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Meanwhile, David is fighting the other guy on the beach, during which time he swallows sea water. --- Nar The bodies of David Miller, 24, from Jersey, and Hannah Witheridge, aged 23, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, were discovered semi-naked on a beach in the divers' paradise of Koh Tao yesterday. The men have been charged with the murder of both Britons -- a charge which carries the death penalty. Win Zaw Htun and his friend Zaw Lin, both 21, are in both the Koh Samui jail and the spotlight of a gruesome crime case, although practically no one believes they really brutally murdered English tourists Hannah Witheridge and David Miller last month on nearby Koh Tao. Sue Witheridge gave evidence at the inquest into the death of. She is an absolute nut job with an inexplicable vendetta against Tao, who has been exiled from Thailand due to defamation charges (not just from this story), and her and her partner are supporters of the English Defence League and known racists. 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. The second-gen Sonos Beam and other Sonos speakers are on sale at Best Buy. 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. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, both 22, initially confessed to the killings but later retracted their statements, saying they had been tortured. They also alleged that the evidence was misused by the police and that the couples confessions were the result of systematic harassment by immigrants in the region. Hannah Witheridge, a backpacker who was murdered in Thailand, The family of Hannah Witheridge, has had their hearts broken by the second death of her sister who died in hospital, Laura Daniels. Two Burmese migrants who were convicted over the killings had their death sentences reduced to life imprisonment in 2020. OP!-----Get Free Roblox VIP Servers - https://bit. Her sister Hannah Witheridge was found dead on a beach in Thailand in 2014 . Two of the suspects raped and killed Witheridge while another witnessed the murder, Thai police told the Bangkok Post. An autopsy examination showed that Ms. Witheridge had been raped. 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. 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. Both had been in Thailand since August and had met just hours before their deaths. But there were also fears the. This is the first time Ive really questioned the research in Casefile. Lawyers for the two men had claimed evidence used in the case against them was mishandled and they made confessions under duress that they later retracted, raising questions about police competence and the judicial system in Thailand. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didnt know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. My bets are that it was someone belonging to the Thai mafia. Last month, the translators, who were used to obtain the now retracted confessions, admitted in court that they were roti (pancake) vendors who barely understood Thai and spoke little Burmese, the Myanmar Times reported. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. "I'm not worried [about high public expectations] because I know how much the probe has been progressing. GitHub export from English Wikipedia. Their bodies were found close to the beach bungalows where they had been staying. But their confession was, itself, confused. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller. But when no evidence emerged to pin the murder on any Burmese, the focus shifted to other outsiders: Western friends of the victims. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Don't google the images either I just did bad idea. 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. Forensics results released Wednesday show that Briton David Miller had water in his lungs when he and romantic partner Hannah Witheridge were brutally killed early Monday on Koh Tao in. She had checked into the hostel on February 11 and was due to check out on February 16 but failed to do so. Disturbing online photos leave family of backpacker Hannah Witheridge disgusted By Sophie Goddard 9 Oct 2014 Rex Features Last month, the tragic revelation that backpackers Hannah. David Miller was her handsome friend from the Channel Islands. Ms Witheridge had been raped and Mr Miller had been. Read about our approach to external linking. Then, just a few days later, a lawyer for the men insisted that the confession was false: the police had beaten it out of them. . Nor did his department fully test the alleged murder weapon. 2 min read. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. "We're confident we have a very high chance of finding the suspects," the senior police officer said. Not to defend the police on Koh Tao, but they arent even a real police station just a outpost. Bizarre pictures showed them handcuffed wearing bicycle helmets surrounded by cops as they reconstructed the attack on Sairee beach. It means Myanmar people suffer a lot of discrimination and are generally treated as work chattel, and so it seems very easy for Thai authorities to pin crimes on them. Despite claims of a fall, he had no broken bones. The main suspect in the crime is a fellow British backpacker, according to The Guardian. While police ruled out foul play, Nick's family, who say officers did not investigate a single witness, believe he was murdered. Two men convicted of murdering two British backpackers in Thailand have had their death sentence upheld by its Supreme Court. There is other evidence that points to these deaths being murders, but family members saying that the victims weren't suicidal is not it. RIP, Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014. Do you know this baby? I doubt we'll ever know the truth. What science tells us about the afterlife. Sexual assault and rape, much of it unreported, bedevil Koh Phangans world famous full-moon parties. In case they (tourists) get drunk and fall asleep on the beach we can bring them back to their hotels, Apichai Ti-armataya, commander of the Tourist Police told AFP. 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. 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'). Mr Miller's are planning a memorial bench. To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. 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. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Another one that personally gets me a lot is when relatives express vengeful feelings, saying how it would be righteous for their loved one's killer to have done to them all the heinous things they did to their loved ones or how they should be allowed the liberty to be with them privately one-on-one and do whatever they want with them. For more information, please see our It's not always a call for help. The death sentences of two men convicted of murdering two British backpackers in Thailand were upheld by the Supreme Court. What's the least amount of exercise we can get away with? Today it emerged that two men had confessed to killing the pair. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising.