Legally, it would seem quite easy to shut these dive shops down., Insecure residency tends to breed compliance. The family said it had brought to a close a "lengthy and disturbing period" where activists on social media had attempted to influence justice in Thailand and public opinion elsewhere. 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. [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. [94] She suggested using identification wristbands for tourists to improve safety, but the idea was quickly scrapped. Jak zemeli Hannah Witheridge a David Miller? 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. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. 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 . David Miller is from the island of Jersey in the English channel between the United Kingdom and France. 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. Witheridge was travelling with three other friends, and Miller with two others. RIP, Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014. Dilleen Hempel Murder: Who Killed Her? What Have Happened to Hannah Witheridge and David Miller? Where Have Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. Sean McAnna (25), from Shotts near Glasgow, was a friend of David Miller, the tourist whose body was found last week on Koh Tao island along with that of Hannah Witheridge. 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. Write to Charlie Campbell at charlie.campbell@time.com. Murderers of Brit backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller to be Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital 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. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. [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. 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. Measuring 21 square kilometres (8sqmi) in area, it is the smallest of three popular tourist islands in the Gulf of Thailand. [83] A 2016 study said the case, which it described as a litmus test of Thailand's justice system, "seriously damaged the image of Thailand and of its forces of law and order on the global level". David Miller, 24. When the authorities were unable to pin the crime on migrant workers, they turned their attention toward Western tourists related to the victims. However, the defense counsel argued all the evidence against the defendants was circumstantial, and the police had no known eyewitness to the murders. He was brought in for questioning on October 1, and he stated he was not present when the murders took place. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? By the time dawn broke over Koh Tao, the beach had been . Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. She added, She always got along well on placement. DNA testing of casual workers was introduced and many migrants complained of rough interrogations, with some claiming that they were scalded with boiling water. A verdict is expected in October and they could face the death penalty if convicted. 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. 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. One of the three suspected individuals was identified as Mau Mau, a local living nearby. However, the erstwhile national police chief denied the allegations of torture, although the police refused to cooperate with representatives of Thailands National Human Rights Commission attempting to investigate the serious allegations. Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? 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. He hailed fromJersey, a Crown Dependency, and graduated from Victoria College in 2008. She was just a brilliant person, and she was just irreplaceable. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller Murders: Where Are Zaw Lin & Wai Phyo 23 Sep 2014. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. 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". [85][15][86] Prayut said that British and Burmese government representatives were "limited to observation" and had to "respect our processes". A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. Koh Tao murders, which created an international frenzy when two young British tourists, Hannah Witheridge, and David Miller, were found murdered in September 2014. 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. Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death Several forensic experts claimed the police collected forensic evidence from the scene dubiously and was not subject to independent oversight or verification. Police obtained CCTV footage from local bars and restaurants and zeroed in on three men riding a motorcycle to 7-Eleven on the night of the murder. 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. Hannah, 23, from Hemsby, Norfolk, and David Miller, 24, from Jersey, were found dead on the island of Koh Tao on September 15. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. The largest and most developed is Koh Samui, which also boasts the archipelagos only international airport. 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 5am, a few hours after their deaths. "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. They beat me and put a bag over my head, humiliating me by taking pictures and a video, he said. The second individual, Wai Phyo, had allegedly fled the island by boat the previous night. The family of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge has been hit by a fresh tragedy with the sudden death of her sister. Sean . Death Island: The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller en Apple [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. Mau Mau claimed he left on his motorcycle and returned home later to find his co-riders asleep. Post-mortems found that Hannah had died from head wounds, while engineering student Mr Miller suffered severe blows to his head and drowned. There are no official figures for the number of expats who call Thailand home, but it likely runs into the hundreds of thousands. Naked bodies of two British tourists found on Thai beach | PIX11 Human-rights groups expressed serious concerns. [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". The police categorically deny any mistreatment and no officer has been charged to date. They stated they were driven by a desire to rape the victim following sexual arousal when they saw the couple kissing on the beach. [53], The prosecution's case focused on findings of the police and medical examiner, with an emphasis on the DNA evidence. Ill never meet anyone like her. Lucy and Hannah were both receiving training to help people with speech difficulties, and Lucy said Hannah wanted to go on to work with children. Foreigners die surprisingly often here. In fact, says Sean Turnell, a professor and expert on Burmese economics at Australias Macquarie University, The economic circumstances of Myanmars majority rural population are now marginally worse than before the reforms were launched.. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. Murdered backpacker's sister Laura Daniels died while pregnant 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. According to reports, Davids family welcomed the commutation of the sentence. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. However, the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment following a royal decree commemorating King Vajiralongkorns birthday. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Koh Tao is by far the smallest. Her autopsy report showed she had been raped and killed by blows to the head. Laura Daniels, 30, died in hospital on Monday just five years and one day. 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. [15] Experts have considered the forensic investigation to have been incompetent, and to have possibly framed the suspects. But in Thailand, the police perform the entire process. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. Because we have learned for generations to take care of visitors. A brand new police station has been built with 40 full-time officers replacing the five previously based here. One belonged to David, and one belonged to an unknown Asian male. Mr and Mrs Miller, from St Helier, said: "Every moment we miss our son. [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. Two weeks later, two illegal Burmese migrant workers were blamed for the deaths, primarily on the basis of DNA evidence, and confessed following an hours-long interrogation. Video, The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure, commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison, Banana artwork in Seoul museum eaten by visitor, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, JP Morgan snaps up troubled US bank First Republic, NFL player's daughter, aged two, drowns in pool, Indian 'killer' elephant relocated to tiger reserve, Trump says 'great to be home' on visit to Scotland, Ding becomes China's first male world chess champion, Father tells how gunman opened fire on Texas home. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. 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. Their bodies were found close to the beach bungalows where they had been staying. Zaw Lin was not convicted of this charge because he held a work permit for the two years preceding the murders. Hannah had been bludgeoned to death a few feet from her room door alongside her fellow British tourist David Miller. Little wonder the conversational staple of many long-term expats is, These are the worst Thais in Thailand.. Read about our approach to external linking. Death Island on Apple Podcasts The defense lawyers urgently need both crucial information gained from the re-examination of forensic evidence in this case and also adequate time to consider this information prior to the trial beginning, said lead defense lawyer Nakhon Chomphuchat in a statement last month. 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. [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. 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. Murdered backpacker's family fight against of attackers death 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. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. 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. [61], On July 10, the court ordered the DNA to be retested. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller. Forensic evidence is processed independently in the U.S. or U.K. and many other jurisdictions around the world, safeguarding a proper chain of custody. Its something but its not enough, he says. I did feel safe, but that is scary.. Ive not been threatened, but Ive too much to lose, he says. . 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. [1] After initially failing to find a match to one of the migrant workers, the police focused their attention on Western tourists related to the victims. The balcony of room A5 at Ocean View Bungalows commands one of the finest vistas of Koh Taos sweeping Sairee Beach. Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency In general, tourists are almost comically unaware of this malevolent undercurrent. "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. Sean McAnna, 25, has fled the island of Koh Tao after claiming he knows who was responsible for the murders of Hannah Witheridge and his friend, David Miller. 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. They partied together, with the couple last seen together at a local bar called AC Bar with friends on September 14. Hannah was also raped. These samples purportedly match those retrieved from Witheridges corpse. 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. Far from official oversight, de facto control falls to the owners of booming hospitality businesses that were developed on land originally obtained, via government concessions, for coconut plantations. [1][15][21], During an hours-long interrogation, during which the police used Burmese food vendors as interpreters[35] because the pair could not speak Thai,[41] the suspects confessed to the murders. The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. As the investigation continues and new evidence emerges, it seems that the . [5][40] The commutation was welcomed by Miller's family. [42][43] Early police reports said Miller's mobile phone was also found in Zaw Lin's home,[44][45] although the media had previously reported the phone was handed to police by a friend of the victim. [5][6] Both were students who were backpacking in Thailand. (Thailand is the worlds third-largest seafood exporter.) 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. Her housemate Lucy Dunkley said, No one could say a bad word about her. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller : r/Casefile - Reddit According to the BBC, staff from the British embassy left for Koh Tao soon after the news broke of the murders. [88][89] Hacker group Anonymous published a video on 3 January 2016 criticising the verdict. 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. 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. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. The 24-year-olds parents, Ian and Susan, and his brother also travelled to Koh Tao to see the spot where the pair were killed, leaving mementos including a copy of a program for Millers funeral service, where mourners also wore colourful clothes, and his body was carried in a coffin covered in sunflowers. Credit: British Foreign Office That's when the killers pounced. [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". Is climate change killing Australian wine? Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. And the shambolic investigation also didnt help.. 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.
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