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. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller. [7][12], Miller and Witheridge were last seen at a bar called AC Bar[13] with friends at a party on Sunday night with around 50 people mostly foreign tourists before they left together after 1am. Expats dont want to lose their time in paradise, Earley says, as its cheap, its nice living, and its very easy to ignore what happens.. [1] Receiving half a million visitors each year,[1] Koh Tao is especially popular with backpackers and known for its marine life and scuba diving. David Miller, 24, from Jersey, was found murdered alongside Hannah . 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. 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. More recently, a court order to allow Dr. Pornthip to review the DNA evidence was rescinded. [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. Both had been in Thailand since August and had met just hours before their deaths. Both men, in their early 30s, are presumed to be serving their sentence in some Thailand prison. At present, the case rests on DNA evidence linking cigarette butts found around 20 m from the bodies next to a crooked log where Zaw Lin and Wai Phyo admit they were playing guitar and drinking beer on the evening in question. 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. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. That would be absolutely in his character.. "The final admittance of their guilt has allowed this act of clemency to become possible," they continued. 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. What Have Happened to Hannah Witheridge and David Miller? Where Have The second individual, Wai Phyo, had allegedly fled the island by boat the previous night. According to the BBC, staff from the British embassy left for Koh Tao soon after the news broke of the murders. [82][83] The UK government expressed concerns with the investigation, and summoned a Thai diplomat in London to discuss them. Koh Tao is by far the smallest. David and Hannah were seen together at a local pub called AC Bar with friends on September 14th, according to reports, before they left together at 1:00 am. Thailands tourist industry is already reeling from the effects of marital law. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. I'm asking if they wear bikinis in Thailand, will they be safe? Ms Witheridge, from Hemsby in Norfolk, and Mr Miller, from Jersey, were murdered on the popular holiday island on September 15. [92], Thailand's government became concerned the murders may affect tourism to the country. He later apologised for the comment after it was met with public backlash. [20] Both bodies were found semi-naked;[21] a pile of clothes was found nearby. The DNA specialist conceded the perpetuators could've used gloves. However, the event did not materially affect tourism to the island over the following years. 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. [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. "Our thoughts are also with the Witheridge family and the tragic loss of their daughter. He was ultimately arrested a few hours later while hiding on the vessel. Human-rights groups expressed serious concerns. At one establishment by Chalok Baan Chao, joints are sold for 200 baht ($6) while a magic mushroom milkshake costs 700 baht ($20). Dabid had also suffered deep lacerations to his skull before drowning in the shallow surf. 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. By the time dawn broke over Koh Tao, the beach had been . 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. Miss Witheridge, a University of Essex student from Hemsby, Norfolk and Mr Miller, a civil and . People come to Thailand to get away from it all. Hannah Witheridge was a college student at the University of Essex and lived there, according to her Facebook page. Case 220: Hannah Witheridge & David Miller - Casefile True Crime Thai king commutes sentence of UK pairs killers, Russia launches missile attacks on Ukraine, Explosion derails train in Russian border region, JP Morgan snaps up troubled US bank First Republic. Miller had been a student at Victoria College, a fee-paying school on Jersey. The family of murdered backpacker Hannah Witheridge has been hit by a fresh tragedy with the sudden death of her sister. 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. Naked bodies of two British tourists found on Thai beach | PIX11 On tiny Koh Tao alone, there are some 2,000 expats alongside the 2,500 registered Thais, according to Mayor Chaiyan Turasakul. [21][25] There was tearing present at the vulva, bruising on the perineum, and a bite mark on her right nipple. (Both families declined to comment when contacted by TIME.). 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. Backpacker's family 'grateful' for Thai king's clemency Did this woman die because her genitals were cut? Photograph: PA The police were accused of buckling under pressure to solve a crime that attracted worldwide attention. Koh Tao's dark side: dangers of island where Britons were murdered They still maintain their innocence, as they did throughout the trial. Credit: British Foreign Office That's when the killers pounced. Little wonder the conversational staple of many long-term expats is, These are the worst Thais in Thailand.. The head of the country's Central Institute of Forensic Science found that the DNA on the hoe did not match the defendants. [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 sweet reek of marijuana is commonplace even in prominent beachfront bars, while cocaine and crystal meth, known locally as yaba or crazy drug, are not hard to find, say locals. [59] The defence struggled to find members of the public willing to testify at the trial, as many feared retribution,[1][60] hence their alibi was not considered convincing by the court. 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 . [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. Back on Koh Tao, authorities have scrambled to blot out the tragedy. [1][47] The national police chief, Somyot Poompanmoung, denied that torture was involved in the confessions. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". "[78] Another commentary in the paper stated that the "overwhelming public skepticism stems from the police's longstanding notoriety for arresting poor and powerless scapegoats to save rich criminals who can afford to buy their innocence". islands volcanic inception. Their sentences have been reviewed to commemorate King Vajiralongkorn's birthday and to show his "clemency". 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. A royal commutation does not require an admission of guilt, says the BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok. [93] Amid the investigation, Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul visited Koh Tao on 28 September 2014 in an attempt to reassure tourists. She was just a brilliant person, and she was just irreplaceable. The bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found on a beach on Koh Tao in September 2014. A process of registering irregular Burmese migrant workers has been introduced to tackle the semiofficial bribes, though many say abuses continue unabated. Is climate change killing Australian wine? The second man, Wai Phyo,[a] was believed to have left the island by boat the previous night. There was so much he could be doing with his life, and having it cut short is unbelievably cruel. Thailand backpacker murders: Burmese workers sentenced to death Most are running guesthouses, eateries and scuba-diving operations or working as diving instructors. Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, a seaside town on the English east coast, had been raped and killed by blows to the head. Both bodies were found lying on a beach, stripped naked and bloodied. [42] In the trial, the prosecution said the phone was found smashed at the home of a friend of Zaw Lin's. 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. Murderers of Brit backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller to be [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. A verdict is expected in October and they could face the death penalty if convicted. Explore in 3D: The dazzling crown that makes a king. There are no official figures for the number of expats who call Thailand home, but it likely runs into the hundreds of thousands. David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, didn't know each other before they met on holiday in Thailand in September. 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.