News reports stated officers rounded up200 alleged suspects, most migrant workers, and used mass DNA testing. 2023 TIME USA, LLC. 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. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object, resulting in head and face wounds. They were identified as 24-year-old David Miller and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge, [] View Photo Gallery (PIX11/CNN) A British man and woman were found dead on a popular resort island in . However, the death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment following a royal decree commemorating King Vajiralongkorns birthday. The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014.
hannah witheridge and david miller - diyalab.com [25] There were no known eyewitnesses to the murders.
Gruesome photos of the bloodied corpses circulated online, either leaked by officials or even taken by passersby. [51][21] The trial was attended by external observers, including representatives from Amnesty International and the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
Death Island on Apple Podcasts The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. How Did Steven Beirnes Die. 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.
david and hannah thailand crime scene photos - flagpin.com [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. You have reached your limit of free articles. As the local government was concerned about how the incident would affect the tourism prospects, the officials allegedly forced the detectives intoexpediting the investigation into the murders. [36] Footage near the crime scene also showed one of the three men running into a shortcut. [1][96], Although tourist arrivals to Koh Tao dropped in the months immediately following the murders, there was little lasting effect on tourism to the island.[92]. They had only been in the country for days before they were murdered. 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. And right in the foreground, rising proudly from sliver sands, protrude a scattering of granite boulders, a furtive relic of this tranquil 21-sq-km (8 sq.
Thailand: Koh Tao Murder Trial Exposed. Ugly Truth of 'Land of Smiles [42][48] Amnesty International stated that Thailand "must initiate an independent, effective and transparent investigation into mounting allegations of torture and other ill-treatment by police".
Thailand backpacker murders: David Miller and Hannah Witheridge - two 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. After the court ordered the DNA to be tested again on July 10, the head of Thailands Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA sample on the hoe did not match the defendants. Police and court systems were hacked or taken offline in the following days, and a stash of personal information obtained from the court's servers was posted publicly. Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? 2023 BBC. [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". Irregular Burmese migrant workers were now required to register with the police in an attempt to discourage illegal workers and prevent bribery.
Thai beach murders: Hannah Witheridge's sister Laura dies in hospital Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. 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. Photograph: PA The island, two hours by boat from the nearest airport, has a low-key, undeveloped feel. (Both families declined to comment when contacted by TIME.). [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Since then, he had managed to send back almost $2,000 to help his destitute family. 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. 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. [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. 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. She was a real natural with them.. Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the . The balcony of room A5 at Ocean View Bungalows commands one of the finest vistas of Koh Taos sweeping Sairee Beach.
Sister of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge was pregnant when she 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". Millers family also travelled to Koh Samui, the larger island near Koh Tao where the trial was held, to see some of the evidence. 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. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were brutally murdered while staying on Koh Tao. [10][32] They highlighted a British tourist who had shared a room with Miller as a suspect, labelling it a "crime of passion"; he became the subject of a nationwide manhunt before the police quickly dropped the lead. She was just one of those beautiful, bubbly people, amazing inside and out. Read about our approach to external linking. The country's prime minister, who had been phoning the national police chief daily for updates on the investigation, said "this should not have happened at all, as it will affect Thailand in the eyes of the international community". Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Dabid had also suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. According to reports, Davids family welcomed the commutation of the sentence. [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. [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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. [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. Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. 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. 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. Her family parents Tony and Sue, brother Paul and sisters Tania and Laura described Witheridge as a beautiful person, inside and out, saying she would have gone on to make a significant difference to the lives of many people. She added, She always got along well on placement. The police were under pressure to produce results quickly, which affected how they conducted their investigation. They flee extreme poverty and ethnic violence in Burma (officially now known as Myanmar), the legacy of a half-century of civil war and suffocating military dictatorship.
Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency - BBC News ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller.
The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller-Death Island Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and .
Sean McAnna, a terrified friend of murdered David Miller, flees Koh Tao [42][43] The police said the suspects' DNA matched a sample of semen taken from Witheridge's body, and to the hoe and cigarette butts found near the body. They toil in slavelike conditions for pitiful wages in occupations typically described as 3-D dirty, dangerous, degrading. [80][81], The Prime Minister of Thailand, Prayut Chan-o-cha, said "[foreign female tourists] think our country is beautiful and safe and they can do whatever they want, wear bikinis wherever they like. [51], The prosecution also claimed the defendants entered the country in violation of the Immigration Act of 1979. [47] Thailand's National Human Rights Commission attempted to investigate the allegations, but police representatives did not appear at four scheduled meetings. Indian officials wife distraught as his killer is freed. [51][56][57] They argued that the defendants, since they were vulnerable as illegal migrant workers, were scapegoated by the police for the crime. [48], The guilty verdict resulted in widespread protests in Myanmar. Others labor for long hours under the burning sun farming pineapples, exposed to hazardous doses of pesticides and other chemicals. Some sources also refer to Wai Phyo as Win Zaw Htun. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao. 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. Both victims had been hit several times on the head; Witheridge had been raped, and Miller had been drowned. Only if they are not beautiful." . His former headteacher described him as a bright young man and a talented artist, with real potential to forge a worthwhile and fruitful path in his life. 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.
What Have Happened to Hannah Witheridge and David Miller? Where Have Death Island: The Case of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller en Apple Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. 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.