david miller and hannah witheridge

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. However, the Thai police have denied these allegations and termed them baseless. [7] Witheridge had completed undergraduate studies in education at the University of East Anglia and had started post-graduate studies in speech and language therapy at the University of Essex. [1][31] Pornthip Rojanasunand, a Thai forensic scientist, testified at the trial that the crime scene was poorly managed. Cat-and-mouse chase with China in hotly contested sea, Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. I had no idea, says Jordi Cramer, 21, a waitress from Edmonton, Canada, when TIME speaks to her strolling past the granite-hemmed crime scene. Burmese bar workers Zaw Lin and Win Zaw Tun were found guilty of murder in 2015. 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 . [31] A British defence lawyer, Felicity Gerry QC, said the trial was "far too rushed and unfair to the defense". And the shambolic investigation also didnt help.. As the investigation . Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. [15] Some migrants who were questioned complained that officers scalded them with boiling water during interrogations, allegations which were denied by the police. 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. 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. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. David worked as an intern in the St Helier offices of the Australian mining company Consolidated Minerals. And on Koh Tao there are around 5,000 Burmese conspicuous by the golden streaks of thanaka paste, a traditional sunscreen and beauty product, garnishing their cheeks who build hotels, sweep rooms and serve drinks to the coppery throngs of tourists. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. 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. 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. Ringed by coral gardens and teeming with kaleidoscope shoals of tropical fish, it was primarily known, until now, for its diving. 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. He was ultimately arrested a few hours later while hiding on the vessel. Two Burmese migrants were convicted over the killings of Hannah Witheridge and 24-year-old David Miller, from Jersey, in 2015. So, if youre interested in finding out more about the case, including the perpetrators identities, heres what we know. [66], On 24 December 2015, Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were found guilty of murdering Witheridge and Miller by the three judges, and were sentenced to death. 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. Photograph: PA The island, two hours by boat from the nearest airport, has a low-key, undeveloped feel. News reports stated officers rounded up200 alleged suspects, most migrant workers, and used mass DNA testing. Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. These samples purportedly match those retrieved from Witheridges corpse. True Crime: In September of 2014, Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found on Koh Tao's famous Sairee beach, dead. 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. Burmese people are treated as second-class citizens, says Saksith. Her housemate Lucy Dunkley said, No one could say a bad word about her. [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. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. [64], Several CCTV cameras near the crime scene were reported to be nonfunctional, and cameras near the pier were not checked by the police. 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. They also. He was found hiding on the boat later on 2 October. The suspects were initially denied access to legal counsel, and alleged that police used torture and threats to secure a confession. Scared is right. He was travelling Southeast Asia with a friend after completing a six-week work placement in Australia with a mining company,[6][8][9] and arrived in Thailand in August. 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 Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were murdered on the Thai island of Koh Tao in September 2014. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. [38] Both men were 22-year-old illegal migrant workers from Rakhine, Myanmar, who worked in the hospitality industry. Little wonder the conversational staple of many long-term expats is, These are the worst Thais in Thailand.. Burmese migrants Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo were convicted of the . Her autopsy report showed she had been raped and killed by blows to the head. Thailands forensics chief, Dr. Pornthip Rojanasunand, has said that by not using trained specialists, police contradicted the principles of forensic science.. [62] They were both also charged with entering the country illegally, to which Wai Phyo had already confessed. Human-rights groups expressed serious concerns. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our, Digital Hannah was also raped. Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, a civil and structural engineering graduate, from Jersey, were bludgeoned to death. The two young tourists were killed in the early hours of 15 September, 2014, after which their relatives endured a long wait for justice. Credit: British Foreign Office That's when the killers pounced. The island of Koh Tao is located in Southern Thailand. "Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo finally admitted to the rape and murder of Hannah Witheridge and the murder of our son.". Thailands National Human Rights Commission investigated these allegations, but progress has been glacial, not least because police representatives failed to turn up to four arranged meetings. People come to Thailand to get away from it all. [31] Media reports speculated that was because the defence was wary of calling on foreign experts fearing it could appear as undermining the Thai justice system, and could bias the judges against their case. [49] Wai Phyo was also charged with stealing Miller's phone. 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. 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. The officers also charged Wai with stealing Davids mobile phone. Some of these workers said they can earn more money in Thailand compared to Myanmar. 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. [2] In 2014, the island had a population of around 5,000 locals. On tiny Koh Tao alone, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. [47][75][12] Human Rights Watch said the case was "profoundly disturbing" and called for the verdict to be reviewed in a "transparent and fair appeal process". Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. She was buried the following month near her family home following a service billed as a celebration of her life, with mourners encouraged to wear bright colours. Hannah had been bludgeoned to death a few feet from her room door alongside her fellow British tourist David Miller. mi.) How Did Steven Beirnes Die. They said Wai Phyo found the mobile phone dropped on the beach, and so he kept it. [1] Police revealed that the samples from Witheridge's body were used up,[62][27] but were able to provide DNA samples from the murder weapon. Attempts to appeal the sentence failed, but a royal decree was issued by King Vajiralongkorn in 2020 commuting the death sentences to life imprisonment. Dabid had also suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. [33][34] Over 200 individuals on the island, many of them migrant workers, were tested in mass DNA testing. This is the wild west.. [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. Witheridge and Miller are the two British tourists who were found dead after being chopped up on a Thailand beach. 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. But in Thailand, the police perform the entire process. At one establishment by Chalok Baan Chao, joints are sold for 200 baht ($6) while a magic mushroom milkshake costs 700 baht ($20). Photograph: PA. Rights groups have said the pair were used as scapegoats by the . A mute Burmese beach cleaner discovered the bodies shortly after dawn the following morning at Ocean View Bungalows. 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. Magazines, Or create a free account to access more articles, This Septic Isle: Backpackers, Bloodshed and the Secretive World of Koh Tao. Hannah Witheridge and David Miller's bodies were found on a beach in Koh Tao in September 2014. 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. The families that run the island and police that guard it deny any involvement with narcotics. There were 362 U.K. citizens who met their end in Thailand in 2014, more so even than in France, which attracts almost 20 times as many British visitors. 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. [29][30] The police initially speculated about who the culprit might be, alleging various individuals of perpetrating the crime without clear evidence. The second individual, Wai Phyo, had allegedly fled the island by boat the previous night. [79] Rumours began to circulate, with residents on the island saying the island is controlled by a mafia who "have information about the true culprits", and claimed that the police is covering for them. The police categorically deny any mistreatment and no officer has been charged to date. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. It has over 100 hotels and resorts and was deemed the busiest diving centre in Southeast Asia in 2014. 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. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. Both men, in their early 30s, are presumed to be serving their sentence in some Thailand prison. The episode tries to deconstruct the complex case for the listeners as it narrates the incidents chronologically and questions several alleged incompetencies in the murder probe. [90][91], The 2014 murders, along with other deaths and disappearances of tourists, led to British tabloids labelling Koh Tao as "Death Island". The BBC reports that police in the area believe the man has already escaped Koh Tao. Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. 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 With no leads or suspects, the police wildly speculated who the culprit might be as they alleged several individuals to be the supposed killer without any evidence. To be able to work on Koh Tao, illegal Burmese migrants paid a 500-baht ($15) bribe each month, plus another 500 baht if they want to use a motorbike without a Thai driving license. 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. Miller, a year older and from Jersey, one of the U.K.'s Channel. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. [31] They focused on foreign nationals, with a spokesperson for the police claiming "Thais wouldn't do this". [35][84] Despite not initially being permitted to assist with the investigation,[33] British police observers including homicide detectives from the Metropolitan Police and a forensics expert were eventually permitted into Thailand to observe the investigation. Junta chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha enraged many by hinting that the blame, at some level, lay with the attractive victims. Hannah Witheridge was a college student at the University of Essex and lived there, according to her Facebook page. [4][11][14] Their bodies were discovered on Sairee Beach a few hours later, between 4 and 5am, by a mute Burmese beach cleaner. The trial drew wide criticism from the international press and human rights groups. 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. DNA was collected from these three areas and sent to a police forensics lab for analysis. Theres no work permit that allows you to work in 15 different locations [under the sea], he says. [28], Due to concerns the murders might affect foreign tourism into Thailand, the national authorities sought to expedite the investigation into the murders. Taupin was ultimately not allowed to testify by the defence, and these issues were not raised by the defence until their closing statement. Hannah Witheridge & David Miller: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright 2023 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo, both 22-year-old ethnic Rakhine from Burmas restive Arakan state, were arrested on Oct. 2. According to reports, the investigators had allegedly left them unclothed in freezing rooms and threatened to electrocute them. Miss Witheridge's family paid tribute to their . Two Burmese workers were sentenced to death in 2015,. The police investigation and criminal trial were widely criticised by international media, human rights organisations, and legal experts. The family of a British backpacker killed in Thailand have welcomed a decision to commute his murderers' death sentences to life in prison. Hannah metDavid 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. [50], An 18-day trial began on 8 July 2015 in the Koh Samui Provincial Court. The murders of Witheridge and Miller sent shock waves through Thailand. "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.". [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. 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. Defence lawyers claimed. [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. In December 2015, the pair were convicted of the murder and sentenced to death. This was very different. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. The government of Thailand was concerned the murders might affect tourism to the island, with arrivals dropping in the months following the murders. Laura Daniels, 30, has died five years after sister Hannah, 23,. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. Since then, he had managed to send back almost $2,000 to help his destitute family. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? (Both families declined to comment when contacted by TIME.). (Police deny these allegations.). 2040 / 2557, Regional Court of Appeal VIII No. They threatened to kill me, saying: We can throw you into the sea and feed your corpse to the fish.. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. 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 . According to the BBC, staff from the British embassy left for Koh Tao soon after the news broke of the murders. [11], An autopsy revealed that both victims were hit by a hard object, resulting in head and face wounds. 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. . Like the Millers, the Witheridge family initially offered no comment on worries about a miscarriage of justice after the arrested men said they had been tortured to extract confessions. "But in the end the truth has been revealed," the couple added. Ive not been threatened, but Ive too much to lose, he says. [38] Police entered the home the next day; only one of the men, Zaw Lin, was present. The Koh Tao murders involved the death of two British tourists in Thailand in 2014. In general, tourists are almost comically unaware of this malevolent undercurrent. The next in size is Koh Phangan, home of the infamous Full Moon parties, with a reputation for drugs and debauchery. Their senseless deaths sparked international outrage and raised questions about justice on Koh Tao. My father died when I was very young, says Zaw Lin, so l left school aged 8 and started helping my mother in the fields when I was 10. Facing worsening poverty, around two years ago he paid a broker 5,000 baht ($150) to transport him to Koh Tao, heartened by tales hed heard of fellow villagers who had eked out a successful living there. Some work on fishing boats for years without seeing land, getting passed between trawlers, catching fish, squid and shrimp for American dinner tables. "[56] Attempts to appeal the sentence to the High Court in 2017 were unsuccessful. Her family described her asvivacious and someone who loved living.Hannah was due to return to her postgraduate Speech and Language Therapy course at Essex University after her summer break. Magazines, Digital Then, most stupidly, the two suspects suddenly "admitted" to the crime, after having been found with bruises. They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were found on a beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao in 2014. 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. When the authorities were unable to pin the crime on migrant workers, they turned their attention toward Western tourists related to the victims. 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. Home; Service. 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.. 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. Others labor for long hours under the burning sun farming pineapples, exposed to hazardous doses of pesticides and other chemicals. 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. [1][11][18] A bloody hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, and a wooden club were found near the bodies,[19][4][14] along with three cigarette butts and a used condom. The crimes brutality amid Koh Taos insular, backpacker charm caused an international sensation and threatened to further weaken a tourist industry already reeling from the military coup of May 22, 2014, which saw hundreds arbitrarily detained and draconian new controls imposed on freedom of speech and assembly. 2145/2559, "Two British tourists found dead on Thai island of Koh Tao", "Suspects in Thai Tourist Murders Face Dubious Trial", "Manhunt underway after brutal murder of 2 British tourists on Koh Tao", "Thailand's paradise island murder mystery", "What the Murder of Two British Tourists Tells Us About Thailand's Dark Side", "Thailand's Supreme Court upholds death penalty for men convicted of murdering British backpackers", "Koh Tao DNA evidence & international standards", "Thai court upholds death penalty for murder of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller", "Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death", "Thailand beach murders: A flawed and muddled investigation", "Koh Tao murders: DNA matches, confessions obtained, crime re-enacted", "Hearings Open Into Killings of Two British Tourists on Thai Island (Published 2014)", "Thai king commutes death sentence for Myanmar men in British tourist murder case", "Burmese men confess to killing British tourists on Koh Tao, Thai police say", "The Investigation Into Thailand's Backpacker Slayings Is Officially a Farce", "Migrants accused of murder of British couple in Thailand recant confessions", "Thai Dictator Faces Ire Over Murder Probe", "Koh Tao murder suspects plead not guilty", "Burmese pair to be executed for murder of British tourists on Koh Tao, Thailand", "2 Sentenced to Death in Killing of British Tourists in Thailand (Published 2015)", "Thailand murders: Two men found guilty and face death for UK killings", "Thai beach murders: Convicted men lose death sentence appeal", "Thai beach murders: Death sentence upheld by Supreme Court", "Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency", "Koh Tao pair claim they were tortured before confessing", "Thai beach murders: DNA investigation into death of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller 'incompetent at best', "Koh Tao murders: suspects in killing of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge say they were framed", "Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered", "Thai Paradise Gains Reputation as 'Death Island', "Foreign Office calls in Thai diplomat over murder inquiry concerns", "Thailand murder suspects can't have British police report: UK judge", "Thai officials on alert as Myanmar protests spread", "Prayut lashes out at Myanmar Koh Tao protestors", "Thailand's Migrant Worker Woes Exposed in Koh Tao Murder Case", "Govt vows "high-tech" defence against hackers", "Island killings prompt stiffer worker rules", "Contesting narratives: the Koh Tao tourists murders", "Unofficial translation of Koh Samui Provincial Court No.

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