Cops nab prime suspect in biker murder case
Hunt for Australian ends in Phnom Penh
Antonio Bagnato, the prime suspect in the kidnap and murder case involving a former Australian Hells Angels leader in Pattaya, has been arrested in Cambodia.
The 26-year-old Australian, wanted on a Pattaya Provincial Court warrant for Monday’s abduction and killing of 37-year-old Wayne Rodney Schneider, was arrested in a hotel in Phnom Penh on Thursday afternoon, according to local media reports.
Phnom Penh’s Daun Pehn district military police chief Thong Piseth confirmed the arrest reported by the Phnom Penh Post.
Arrangements are being made to extradite him back to Thailand, the report said.
“He was arrested yesterday. He is wanted in a murder case abroad,” Thong Piseth was quoted as saying by the Phnom Penh Post’s website yesterday.
Mr Bagnato, a motorcycle gang member in Sydney and Schneider’s partner in a fitness business there, is accused of leading a gang of five men in abducting Schneider from a rented house in Pattaya’s Bang Lamung district about 5am Monday, killing the victim and then burying the body on Khao Cheechan hill in neighbouring Sattahip district two hours later.
The alleged driver of the rented Toyota pickup truck used in the crime was 21-yearold American Tyler Gerard, who was taken for a re-enactment of the crime by police yesterday morning.
Mr Bagnato’s wife, Siraphat Saimart, 25, detained earlier this week for renting the vehicle, has been cleared of involvement in the plot.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen and two other deputy chiefs, Pol Gen Wut Liptapanllop and Pol Gen Panya Mamen, attended the re-enactment at the Jomtien Park Villas on Thepprasit Soi 17 about 9.30am yesterday.
Mr Gerard was charged with colluding in unlawful detention leading to death, murder and concealment of a body.
Police said the young Californian, who has lived in Pattaya since early this year, confessed to playing a part in the crimes during questioning on Thursday.
His alleged confession helped provide information about the other suspects. They were identified as Mr Bagnato, another American, Isaac Stetson, and two Australian men identified only as Jay and Toe.
Police believe at least one of the remaining suspects is still in Thailand.
Police also believe an illegal drug business was the likely motive for Schneider’s killing. Schneider had been charged previously with drug trafficking.