Tourists murdered on Koh Tao

[PeteC]

The previous Burmese suspects have been released.....

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 43457.html

[PeteC]

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/09/17/p ... ctims-hand

[PeteC]

Some progress now....but in a surprise direction I guess.

http://bangkok.coconuts.co/2014/09/17/p ... rs-koh-tao

[Big Boy]

Indeed, so maybe rape did not happen as originally suggested.

[PeteC]

^ The DNA will straighten that out. I have some theories but don't want to speculate on here out of respect. It will all come out, probably soon.

[Bristolian]

There is another report here
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/4 ... ao-murders

[richard]

Complicated jigsaw emerging from what seemed to be an assumed migrant rape/murder. The DNA will no doubt ensure justice is done. Justice IMO should not include deportation. If the guilty party is a Brit and gay he'll be in heaven in a UK comfortable all mod cons prison. Bang whoever it is up in the BK Hilton for life

[richard]

I think a monsieur Hercule Perot is required

[richard]

There seem to be more options put on the table as we banter. I think is it way too early for us to speculate on the situation until someone has been charged

[pharvey]

I'll go along with Bristolian, Richard and many others on the thread who's one and only concern/hope is that the guilty party or parties are caught and hung up to dry - whatever bl**dy nationality, whether it be British or otherwise.

[kendo]

Two British brothers are being questioned over the murders of two backpackers in Thailand as tests revealed more about how the victims died.

Chris Ware and his brother James, from Jersey, have been asked to remain in Thailand as experts wait for the results of DNA tests.

Beach murders: Pictures
The semi-naked bodies of David Miller, 24, and 23-year-old Hannah Witheridge were discovered on a beach on the island of Koh Tao on Monday.

According to reports, Chris and James Ware shared a room with Mr Miller, who also came from Jersey.

Friend's Tribute To David Miller
A spokesman for the Royal Thai Police said 11 Burmese migrants have been questioned over the deaths, after blood stains were found on some of their clothes.

Police Colonel Kissana said: "We also have two British suspects but they have not been detained. We cannot rule them out. They were close friends and knew all about the victims."

Mr Kissana added that police had discovered forensic evidence suggesting Miss Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, might have been raped.

FCO Advice To Tourists
Officers are also looking at the possibility that the two victims were having sex on the beach shortly before their deaths, considered a taboo in the deeply religious country, he said.

It has been revealed Mr Miller died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Miss Witheridge died from head wounds.

Pornchai Sutheerakune, head of the Thai Institute of Forensic Medicine, said Mr Miller also had wounds on his hand, indicating a struggle had taken place.

Sky's Jonathan Samuels, on Koh Tao, said Chris Ware has been spoken to by police after he booked into a hotel at Bangkok airport.

Families Pay Tribute
It is the second time he has been questioned. He was initially quizzed in the hours after the murders by officers concerned about an injury to his arm.

Samuels said James Ware had also spoken to police.

The bodies of Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge were discovered early on Monday morning. A bloodstained garden hoe, believed to be the murder weapon, was found nearby.

More than 70 Thai police have been questioning migrant workers and tourists on the island, visiting hotels, bars, homes and businesses in the search for the killer.

Police say they are keen to trace an Asian man captured on grainy CCTV footage near the scene of the murders.

He is seen running past the security camera at 3.44am and is seen again an hour later walking down the same street.

In another image, Mr Miller and Miss Witheridge are shown walking hand-in-hand after leaving a bar at around 1am. It was taken hours before they were found dead on Sairee beach.

Sky's Tom Parmenter, on Jersey, says police there are assisting the mother of Chris and James Ware.

He said officers are working to ensure Barbara Ware is kept up to date with investigation, but she did not want to comment at this stage.

Parmenter said someone claiming to be a friend of the Ware brothers had written about them on a Thai travel message board.

"I grew up with Chris and Dave and know them both very well, and I'm totally shocked to what has happened," the post read.

"He (Chris) has known Dave since 4 years old at primary school in Jersey, they are like brothers.

[HHTel]

I've just read that the DNA results do not match any of the current suspects including the brits, so they're off the hook it would seem.

[Bristolian]

It must be possible, from the DNA samples, to indicate the region of the world and general ethnicity, such as Asian, Western European etc of the perpetrators. At least this would give the police and indication of the persons that they are looking for. Maybe i'm wrong as DNA is not exactly my speciality

[Big Boy]

Guys, I hope you will agree that this is a very sensitive and serious subject matter.

Moderators and Admin have discussed the thread, and it has been agreed we need to clean it up. This will be taking place over the next 30 minutes or so i.e.:

- Personal comments will be removed.

- Remarks made by the PM regarding wearing of bikinis will be moved here viewtopic.php?f=18&t=28145

Thank you all for your understanding.

[Bristolian]

http://www.bangkokpost.com/most-recent/ ... woman-body

The search for the killers of two British tourists on Koh Tao has focussed on two men who shared a cigarette and whose DNA was found on the murdered woman's body.

Tests on DNA samples collected did not match samples taken from the other victim, David William Miller, 24, or Christopher Alan Ware, Miller's friend, or the six Myanmar workers earlier suspected.

The DNA matched DNA found on the butt of a LM cigarette found beside a rock 30-50 metres from the crime scene.The DNA of two men was found on the cigarette butt and they matched the DNA found in the semen found inside the female victim's body.

Police still thought that foreign workers on Koh Tao, especially Rohingya, were the most likely suspects, but had not ruled out Thais visiting or living on Koh Tao, or foreign tourists, the Surat Thani police chief said.