Tourists Hannah Witheridge & David Miller Murdered With Garden Hoe On Thai Beach

[Whisper]

Rescue workers put the bodies of the British tourists into bags after they were found dead Monday morning on Koh Tao island.​

Two British tourists were murdered on a quiet beach in southern Thailand
[...]
Deep wounds on the heads and faces of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, who were found stripped naked after a Sunday night beach party, suggest they were beaten to death with a garden hoe,
[...]
The bloodied tool was recovered about 40 yards away, next to their clothes on the island of Koh Tao, police chief Jakkrapan Kaewkhao told
[...]
Medical officials were investigating whether the woman was raped,
[...]
Authorities placed the island on lockdown — meaning boats are prohibited from leaving — so they can investigate the double murder and look for a suspect.
British and Thai authorities are working hand in hand to solve the case
[...]
"The embassy are urgently seeking information from the local authorities and consular staff stand ready to provide assistance to friends and family at this tragic time
[...]
Police, who do not yet know the motive, have been reviewing security videos taken at nearby restaurants, hotels and shops
[...]
The woman was from Norfolk, in the East of England, and the man was from Jersey, an island in the English Channel. They arrived in Thailand for vacation last month.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...-garden-hoe-thai-beach-cops-article-1.1939857

Hannah Witheridge, 23, and another tourist, 24-year-old David Miller, were beaten to death with a garden
hoe​

Her FB

https://www.facebook.com/hwitheridge?fref=ts&ref=br_tf

Two British tourists were murdered on a beach on a Thai island, authorities said. The 24-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were found stripped naked and bloodied the morning after a beach party on Koh Tao,
[...]
He said deep wounds to their heads and faces appeared to have been inflicted with a garden hoe, which was found with blood on its handle next to their clothes about 40 yards away. Kaewkhao said medical officials were investigating whether the woman was raped. Several tourists posted on social media the island was on "lockdown," with no one allowed to leave by ferry in the aftermath
[...]
The U.K. Foreign Office said it was "urgently seeking information" from local authorities. Koh Tao – which translates to “Turtle Island” – is just eight square miles and a popular tourist destination for scuba divers.
[...]
the island has "turquoise waters" where "diving enthusiasts cavort with sharks and rays in a playground of tangled neon coral." There is a "pumpin’ bar scene that rages on until dawn," it adds. Koh Tao is 20 miles from Koh Phangan, which is famous for its full moon parties. According to Kaewkhao, the bodies were found in early Monday behind a rock. Cops are now reviewing surveillance video and DNA evidence.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/two-british-tourists-murdered-hoe-thailands-koh-tao-cops-n203476

 

[Azryhael]

Damn. I'd expected this to have happened in Pattaya, perhaps, but not on the resort island.

 

[cubby]

I had to read the title 3 times because for some reason my brain kept insisting that "Garden Hoe" was someone's name. That the two English tourists were killed alongside someone named Garden Hoe and since it happened in Thailand, it sounded like it was possible. :shrug:

 

[CLouise]

Damn. I'd expected this to have happened in Pattaya, perhaps, but not on the resort island.

Very shocking, but I suppose cashed up tourists are pretty tempting. I've got 3 friends in Vietnam at the moment, flights to South East Asia from Australia are cheapest they've ever been.

But hacking and beating them to death, I know several tourists have been stabbed in robberies but that seems more likely there was also a sexual element. I really hope they get who did this quickly

 

[Whisper]

Where is Thai murder victim's missing friend? Police hunt for man who knew Jersey victim bludgeoned to death on Koh Tao beach along with English woman

• Bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, found on beach on island of Koh Tao
• Both are believed to have been bludgeoned to death with garden hoe
• Police said to be looking for one of the Mr Miller's friends, who has vanished
• A second man in Mr Miller's group was detained when he was found with injuries to his hands, but he was later released
• Couple thought to have been among 50 people attending tourist beach party
• Foreign Office says victims' families have been informed of the tragic news
• Mr Miller's girlfriend, Jessy Howorth, said: 'We were meant to have so much more time together but I'll continue loving you every day forever'

[...]
British backpacker was at the centre of a double murder hunt yesterday after two tourists were battered to death on a beach in Thailand.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, from Norfolk, and David Miller, 24
[...]
were found with horrific head injuries after attending a beach party on the tiny island of Koh Tao,
[...]
One of Mr Miller’s friends left the island within hours of the bloody double killing and police said they needed to trace him ‘as a matter of urgency’, but did not name him as a suspect.
[...]
Miss Witheridge’s body has been sent for tests amid fears she could have been raped during the attack.
[....]
friends paid tribute to the victims on social media.

Mr Miller's girlfriend, Jessy Howorth
[...]
'My best friend and the love of my life. We were meant to have so much more time together but I'll continue loving you everyday forever.'

Friend Ellie Griffiths
[...]
'So shocked and upset to hear about the death of such an incredibly warm, charismatic, smiley and insightful person.

'Your absence on this planet will be missed and often thought about, I'm so pleased and honoured to have known you Dave.'

A Facebook tribute page was set up in memory of Miss Witheridge and last night, it had amassed more than 1,000 likes.
[...]
Miss Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, was on holiday with a group of female friends and was said to have met Mr Miller and his friends just three days ago.

They were all said to have been at a beach party attended by around 50 revellers
[...]
Police said Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller could be seen
[....]
leaving a bar together at around 1am before walking onto the beach.

Their bodies were discovered just a few yards apart at around 6.30am yesterday and some of their clothing was found nearby.
[..]
local police described as a ‘gruesome’ attack, Mr Miller was said to have suffered a series of blows to his back and head while Miss Witheridge had been struck repeatedly in the face.
[...]
murder scene near rocks is around a minute’s walk from a strip of bars on the beach, and fewer than 100 yards from the £22-a-night Ocean View complex where they were staying.
[...]
only three miles long, has no commercial airport and locals were said to have blockaded its ferry pier to prevent a killer from escaping. But a British man who had been travelling with Mr Miller was said to have boarded the first ferry to leave.
[...]
‘We wish to interview David Miller’s friend, but we cannot give out his details at this stage. His name has been circulated. We need to talk to him as a matter of urgency.’
[...]
second man in Mr Miller’s group was also detained after he was found with injuries to his hands, but he was released after providing what police described as a ‘satisfactory explanation’.
[...]
Mr Miller and his friends arrived in Koh Tao on August 25, while Miss Witheridge and her group of three female friends did not arrive until September 12.
[...]
pair were not thought to have known each other before their arrival in Thailand.
One possibility is that they were walking back to their hotel together when the killer struck and locals suggested it could have been a robbery which turned violent when the pair resisted. Yesterday in Britain, Miss Witheridge’s father Anthony, who runs a holiday cottage business, was said to be ‘devastated’ as he met with police at his home
[...]
He and her mother Susan, who live apart, have three other children who were said to be very close to Hannah, their youngest sibling.
[...]
Facebook and Twitter she had recently graduated in education studies from the University of East Anglia and begun a languages Masters degree at the University of Essex.

A keen horsewoman, she had competed in equestrian events for her university and was only said to be on a short holiday before returning to her studies.
[...]
police said family liaison officers were supporting the family of Mr Miller.

Thai media initially quoted police officers as blaming Burmese workers for the attacks, but officers later said they had no suspects before announcing they wanted to trace Mr Miller’s friend.

Violent attacks on foreigners are relatively rare in Thailand, which is heavily reliant on its tourism industry
[...]
Two Thai fishermen were sentenced to death for the 2006 rape and murder of British holiday-maker Katherine Horton, 23, in Koh Samui.

Their death sentences were later commuted to life in prison.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...le-Irish-friend-Thai-beach.html#ixzz3DRddzan7
many more pics at link

 

[CLouise]

a British man who had been travelling with Mr Miller was said to have boarded the first ferry to leave.

Wow way to act guilty seems pretty coincidental, but you never know.

 

[Whisper]

Killer could still be on Thai island where two English backpackers were bludgeoned to death on a beach

• Bodies of Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, found on beach on island of Koh Tao
• Both are believed to have been bludgeoned to death with garden hoe
• Police say bad weather may have prevented the murderer from fleeing
• Officers said to be looking for one of the Mr Miller's friends
• A second man in Mr Miller's group was detained when he was found with injuries to his hands, but he was later released
• Couple thought to have been among 50 people attending tourist beach party
• Foreign Office says victims' families have been informed of the tragic news
• Mr Miller's girlfriend, Jessy Howorth, said: 'We were meant to have so much more time together but I'll continue loving you every day forever'

[...]
police believe the killer may still be on the idyllic Thai island where a British man and woman were found dead.
[...]
The Bangkok Post reported that police had banned all vessels from leaving Koh Tao and said officers believe the killer may not have been able to get off the island due to bad weather.
[...]
it was reported that one of Mr Miller’s friends left the island within hours of the bloody double killing and police said they needed to trace him ‘as a matter of urgency’, but did not name him as a suspect.
The bodies were found half-naked on Sairee beach and a blood-stained hoe found nearby was believed to have been the murder weapon.
[...]
Mr Miller's girlfriend, Jessy Howorth said: 'My best friend and the love of my life. We were meant to have so much more time together but I'll continue loving you everyday forever.'
[...]
A Facebook tribute page was set up in memory of Miss Witheridge and last night, it had amassed more than 1,000 likes.
[..]
Local people gathered last night for a candlelit vigil in memory of the victims.
[...]
Sairee Beach, where the double murder happened, is its busiest resort and is popular for its strip of bars and beach parties.
[...]
They were all said to have been at a beach party attended by around 50 revellers on Sunday night.

Police said Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller could be seen on CCTV leaving a bar together at around 1am before walking onto the beach.

Their bodies were discovered just a few yards apart at around 6.30am yesterday and some of their clothing was found nearby.
[...]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ers-bludgeoned-death-beach.html#ixzz3DSQfSuUW

 

[CLouise]

Thai police quiz trio over UK pair murder

THAI police have questioned three Myanmar (Burmese) men over the murder of two British tourists on the southern resort island of Koh Tao, as their bodies were due to arrive in Bangkok for forensic tests.
...
"Three male Myanmar migrant workers are under police detention for investigation," said southern regional police commander Panya Maman, without providing any further details.

A second officer said police were not looking for a British man who had travelled with Miller, contrary to UK media reports.

"All of the British nationals are now on their way home," said provincial police chief Kiattipong Khawsamang, adding they had been "cleared" as suspects.
...
Neither officer was able to confirm Thai television reports that police had seized an iPhone and blood-stained jeans after raiding rooms used by the Myanmar suspects.

Thai authorities frequently accuse migrants from Myanmar and Cambodia of committing crimes in the kingdom, where they make up a vast, poorly-paid and low-status workforce.
...
On Tuesday, Thai junta chief and prime minister Prayut Chan-ocha appeared to call into question the victims' conduct in addition to the perpetrators of the attack.

"We have to look into the behaviour of the other party too because this kind of incident should not happen to anybody and it has affected our image," he told reporters, referring to the two tourists.
...
There were 389 deaths of British nationals in Thailand in the year to March 2013 - about one for every 2400 British visitors or residents - although that figure includes natural causes.

http://www.news.com.au/world/breaking-news/backpacker-hunted-over-thai-beach-deaths

 

[Whisper]

Thai police release CCTV images of British tourists and prime suspect shortly before killings

Investigators say they hope the footage will help shed some light on the murders of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, whose nearly naked, beaten bodies were found on a Koh Tao beach Monday.

David and Hannah
Im gonna guess and say his Gf thats been devastated is going to be even more seeing him holding hands with another girl

person of interest, migrant worker
​

[...]
police released CCTV images that they say show two British tourists walking hand-in-hand shortly before their deaths — as well as a prime suspect.

Investigators say they hope the footage will help shed some light on the murders of David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, whose nearly naked, beaten bodies
[...]
Authorities described the suspect from the video as Asian in appearance and have focused their investigation on the island's community of migrant workers.
[...]
"We are focusing on migrant workers because of the surrounding witnesses and evidence, including the video footage," said police Maj. Gen. Kiattipong Khawsamang. "We are sweeping hotels, bars, businesses and residences of migrant workers on the beach to find the suspect."
"This should not have happened in Thailand. It will affect our image in the eyes of international countries," said Prime Minister Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha.
[...]

Thai government has been trying to revive the country's tourism industry following a military coup in May that ended sometimes violent protests. Prayuth urged the media to remind tourists to take precautions when traveling in Thailand, where martial law is still in effect in several regions.

"In their countries, (foreigners) can travel wherever they want, so they thought it is safe, but in our country, there are still problems. There are different types of people, so they have to be careful," Prayuth said.
[...]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wor...ish-tourists-shortly-deaths-article-1.1941344

 

[McDanel]

In spite of him being engaged, I think Mr. and Ms. Tourist were doing the horizontal bop when they were murdered. He took wounds to the head and back, her to the face.

 

[Forensicwx]

I was thinking exactly that Whisp when I read the original article. The two left a bar at 1am, etc etc. add anger to her list of current emotions. That's a horrid way for her to find out he wasn't faithful to her.
Although, they were 'pretty' young. Would b worse if it was my hubby of 20 yrs. either way, bleh...

 

[ibutterflyaway]

I had to read the title 3 times because for some reason my brain kept insisting that "Garden Hoe" was someone's name. That the two English tourists were killed alongside someone named Garden Hoe and since it happened in Thailand, it sounded like it was possible. :shrug:

Lol. You are not alone. I'm reading this and watching COPS at the same time. Totally confusing myself :nana:

 

[CbabyRKO]

What happens in Thailand stays in Thailand. Amirite?
Hedonistic paradise and you expect people to keep their clothes on. Yea fuck right. She'll be more devastated by his death than the fact that he may have been boning some tourist he just met. If not then...selfish much?

 

[Whisper]

[...]
British tourists murdered on a quiet Thai beach struggled to fight off their savage attacker before they died, forensic officials say.

David Miller, 24, and Hannah Witheridge, 23, were found nearly naked and badly beaten
[...]
Police believe the murderer used a garden hoe to kill the two as they left a beachside nightclub.
[...]
backpack travelers likely had an "intense" struggle with their killer both on the beach and in the water, their autopsies showed.

Police have not arrested any suspect but closed the case Wednesday. DNA from hair in Witheridge's hand linked a British man to the case, and police are certain he's the only suspect
[...]
Officials have not released the name of their prime suspect.

Police stopped two of Miller's friends who were traveling with him as they attempted to leave Thailand earlier
[...]
Investigators are questioning brothers Christopher and Jimmy Ware but have not named them as persons of interest or suspects.

An autopsy showed Miller had water in his lungs when he died, Thailand's Police Hospital's Institute of Forensic Medicine reported
[...]
That means Miller's assailant likely pushed him into the beach's water, but the British victim might have crawled back out, the institute's chief, Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Suteerakhun,
[...]
Witheridge also fought back during the late-night attack, officials said. They're still working to determine if the 23-year-old was raped before she was killed.
[...]
After the attack, police interviewed a group of Myanmar construction workers who were in the area Sunday night — none of whom fit police's insistence that the suspect is British.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...-attacker-thai-beach-report-article-1.1942550

 

[Benighted]

Good God it's like an Agatha Christie novel where everyone's trying to figure out whodunit and where and when and how, except you can never actually predict the solution because she introduces a new character three pages before the end of the book, who turns out to be the murderer.

 

[everjaded]

In spite of him being engaged, I think Mr. and Ms. Tourist were doing the horizontal bop when they were murdered. He took wounds to the head and back, her to the face.

I thought the same thing. This would also go aways to explaining why they're still trying to work out whether or not she'd been raped. Signs of sexual activity, perhaps, but then it might take additional time to confirm if it was consentual.

 

[Whisper]

DNA samples taken from murdered Britons on Thai beach 'don't match ANY of the arrested suspects, including British brothers who had been questioned', claims local media

• Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, murdered on island of Koh Tao
• Police claimed they had 'strong evidence' linking six workers to deaths
• Officers also questioned two British brothers after stopping them at airport
• But today Thai police said DNA did not match any of their 12 suspects
• Mr Miller died from severe blows to his head and drowning, tests reveal
• Post-mortem on Miss Witheridge revealed signs of recent sexual activity
• But this did not necessarily indicate she had been raped, says expert
• Thai PM questions whether girls can be safe if they are wearing bikinis
• He said: 'Can they be safe in bikinis... unless they are not beautiful?'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...sh-tourists-death-Thailand.html#ixzz3De0rA5lj

Inquiry: British tourist Christopher Alan Ware (right) is questioned by a Thai police officer on Koh Tao

Mr Ware left the holiday island of Koh Tao yesterday but returned this morning in response to a request from police, it has been reported

​

'My best friend and the love of my life': Jessy Howorth posted this picture of her and boyfriend David Miller on Facebook with the message: 'We were meant to have so much more time together'

Inquiry: A close-up of the man Thai police want to question. The image was taken from a bar's CCTV footage

Police searches of the homes of immigrant workers yielded a handgun

Murder scene: The bodies of David Miller and Hannah Witheridge were found near this area of the beach on the Thai island of Koh Tao. An autopsy revealed Mr Miller tried to fight off his attackers before drowning

 

[Forensicwx]

Can they be safe in bikinis....unless they r not beautiful?

 

[Dutchesse]

Thai PM questions whether girls can be safe if they are wearing bikinis
He said: 'Can they be safe in bikinis... unless they are not beautiful?'

Clearly, if the woman had been wearing a tracksuit or a burka, this would never have happened. Because those stupid, sexy women cause all the trouble.

So glad to see the Thai PM is selected with such care.

 

[Krystal]

This is one Hell of a way to get out of explaining your cheating to your fiance that you left at home.

 

[ping123]

I thought the same. I mean maybe the had an open relationsship? or they agreed to have some fun while he is gone.. if not... I cant imagen my bf getting killed like that and then finding out he was with a girl aswell..

 

[CLouise]

Koh Tao deaths: Locals pool funds to aid probe
The police investigation appeared to have stalled after post-mortem examinations of the victims' bodies in Bangkok failed to find DNA links to key suspects questioned so far.

"At this point we offer 50,000 baht ($1,676) for anyone who can provide clues which lead to the arrest of a suspect," Koh Tao mayor Chaiyan Turasakul told AFP (Australian Federal Press).
...
160 officers were hunting for clues on the small island
...
On Thursday, in a rare public moment of contrition from the army chief, Mr Prayut said he was "sorry" his remarks hurt people.
...
Mr Prayut will send letters to the British prime minister and the families of the two victims offering his condolences over the deaths and explaining his recent comments.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-19/locals-pool-funds-to-aid-thai-double-murder-probe/5757208

Mmm sure a letter of apology for the bikini comment is just want the families want & need right now.

 

[McDanel]

DNA from hair in Witheridge's hand linked a British man to the case, and police are certain he's the only suspect

So what happened to this?

The police investigation appeared to have stalled after post-mortem examinations of the victims' bodies in Bangkok failed to find DNA links to key suspects questioned so far.

And this, was there a rape or not? Why did the two Brit. brothers have cuts all over their hands? Did the DNA they found not match, or did they not find DNA? Just not clear.

 

[McDanel]

and then finding out he was with a girl aswell..

I don't know how I would be able to stop thinking that if he hadn't taken her to the beach, he'd be alive.

 

[McDanel]

Valuable time was wasted rounding up the usual Burmese suspects.

 

[Whisper]

Was British backpacker trying to help woman in distress? New evidence suggests David Miller may have been coming to aid of Hannah Witheridge when they were both killed

• New evidence suggests the pair were not together at all on night of murders
• David Miller might have gone to girl's aid when she was 'attacked by group'
• Hannah Witheridge shared cigarette with someone before attack, say police
• CCTV footage shows Mr Miller walking alone at 1am on night of death
• It is thought Miss Witheridge 'had conversation' with attackers on beach
• Their semi-naked bodies were found on Sairee Beach six days ago
• Thai police branded a 'joke' by locals after failing to reach conclusion
• FBI has been called in to assist investigation as search for culprit continues

[...]
David Miller may have been trying to save Hannah Witheridge as she was being attacked on a Thai beach when the pair were brutally murdered, new evidence suggests.
[...]
24-year-old from Jersey was captured on CCTV at around 1am on the night of his death, leading to claims the pair were not in fact together as Thai Police previously claimed.

Traces of Miss Witheridge's DNA and that of one other person were found on a cigarette butt some 50 yards from where her body was found, suggesting the 23-year-old shared it with her attackers and even had a conversation with them before being killed.

The bodily fluids of two men found during forensic investigation are now thought to belong to Asian men
[....]
The new developments come as police said they were hunting a western woman seen running near the beach in Koh Tao on Sunday.

Police refer to Westerners as ‘foreigners’ but officers would not comment whether the woman might turn out to be Hannah Witheridge herself, fleeing from the killer or killers who were to soon battered her to death
[....]
Thai police inquiries have been branded a 'joke' by locals after investigators mistakenly identified a couple in CCTV footage walking hand-in-hand as the murdered Brits.
[...]
footage of the woman - who might also turn out to be a terrified witness to the double murders - has yet to be released.

The FBI has been called in to assist , as officials concede they do not have sophisticated enough forensic technology.

Yesterday bar and restaurant staff were lined up on the beach and had their feet compared to footprints found near where the youngsters' bodies were found last week.

It comes as General Poompanmoung of Thai Police told
[...]
today that the team were not closing in on any suspects and agreed that he did not know whether the killers were still on the island.

Asked specifically whether they could have already left, he nodded in agreement.

The movements of Miss Witheridge and Mr Miller in the hours leading up to their murders added to the mystery of their deaths as it was confirmed that
[...]
footage of a couple walking hand in hand - said early to be the Britons - were not them after all.
[...]V footage has emerged of Mr Miller walking alone along the restaurant and club strip in the early hours of Monday.
[...]
first clip was recorded as 1.27am, while the second, in which he is seen walking in the opposite direction – towards what would become the scene of his death – was captured at 1.56am.
Where both he and Miss Witheridge were in the intervening half an hour remains a mystery.

Divers were among officers continuing the search for a second weapon yesterday. One was seen waist-deep in the water drawing up sand with a rake.
[...]
believe the killers used a garden hoe – which has been found – to batter Miss Witheridge and a ‘metal weapon’ to bludgeon Mr Miller.
[...]
evidence of a second weapon has left police with what one officer today described as ‘unquestioned proof’ that at least two killers were involved.

But one expatriate was critical of the Thai police, who have been criticised for the haphazard nature of the investigation.

‘All this activity leaves you with a feeling that this is too little, too late,’ said
[...]
‘Surely anything of any use would have been washed away or stomped on by now.’
[...]
General replied with mixed answers when asked specifically whether post mortem examinations on the bodies had revealed the presence of drugs.

At first he said no, then he said he did not know and when pressed one of his aides said such questions should not be asked ‘out of respect for the victims and the families’.

Earlier it was claimed it was possible the Britons had either walked past their killers, who were lurking in the shadows between the lights of late-night waterside bars, or they were followed and attacked when they were on the beach beside boulders close to their holiday bungalows.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-spot-British-duo-murdered.html#ixzz3DujTX4gh

 

[McDanel]

OK, Thailand is off my bucket list. That wasn't even them walking hand in hand! We'll know what happened to MH370 before this is solved.

They managed to make the dude look like a skank, when he probably was a hero. I am profoundly disappointed by this clusterfuck of an "investigation". At least the fiancee can cling to her boyfriend's resurrected reputation.

 

[McDanel]

I'd like to know why his clothes were off as well, was he also raped while mortally wounded?

 

[Krystal]

Thai police inquiries have been branded a 'joke' by locals after investigators mistakenly identified a couple in CCTV footage walking hand-in-hand as the murdered Brits.

Wow. Great job "investigators". I really feel for his fiance now, not only having to deal with his death but also the jokes and rumors of him cheating. Insult to injury there.

And yes, I'm very aware that I did it too, and for it I feel like a jackass too.

 

[Angiebla]

After seeing Broke down Palace, I said I'm cool with never going to Thailand.