Cops nab fourth suspect in double slaying
Another suspect in Sunday’s brazen daylight slaying of a man and woman at a tourist attraction in Chon Buri’s Sattahip district was arrested on Wednesday, deputy national police chief Chalermkiat Srivorakhan said yesterday.
The suspect, identified as Kiatisak S ur an gs a eng mi bo on ,35, was detained about 11pm in Sa Kaeo’s Khao Chakan district and brought to Chon Buri for interrogation by the police team probing the murder case, he said.
Mr Kiatisak is the fourth on the police’s list of wanted suspects to be held in the murder case. All of their arrest warrants were previously approved.
He admitted to driving a Honda CR-V, one of at least three vehicles used in Sunday’s murders of Anantachai Jariram, 20, and Pawina Namuangrak, 20, said Pol Gen Chalermkiat.
The suspect took 39-year-old Panya Yingdang, believed to be the mastermind, and other suspects, including the hired hitmen, to the crime scene, Pol Gen Chalermkiat.
The exact number of gunmen wasn’t specified as Mr Kiatisak only told the police there was more than one gunman involved, said Pol Gen Chalermkiat, adding that four guns were retrieved after Mr Kiatisak led investigators to where weapons used in the murders were dumped.
The Honda CR-V was also seized for examination from a house in Buachet district in Surin province and where an unnamed younger brother of Mr Panya was detained for questioning in connection with the case, Pol Gen Chalermkiat said.
Mr Kiatisak also admitted taking Mr Panya to his home in Sa Keao’s Khao Chakan district for one night after the killings, he said.
Provincial Police Region 2 Commissioner, Pol Lt Gen Jitti Rodbangyang, said Mr Kiatisak also admitted dropping Mr Panya off near a border checkpoint without elaborating exactly wheret.
He said the motive behind the murders was likely a soured relationship between Pawina and Mr Panya who reportedly geve the murdered woman a lot of money recently. Police would seek arrest warrants for more suspects in the next few days, said Pol Lt Gen Jitti.
The first suspect, 43-year-old Sayan Sisuk, a resident of Nakhon Si Thammarat, was arrested on Tuesday after the Chon Buri provincial court issued warrants for the first three suspects. Aside from Mr Panya and Mr Sayan, the other suspect was Jirasak Unaiban, 34, a Phuket resident.
Mr Panya is a businessman and owner of the Pum Pui nightclub, located in a redlight district along Phuket’s famous Bangla Road, in Patong. Pawina used to work in the club.
Police also believe she could have been murdered out of jealousy as one of the suspects is known to have developed a crush on her, but sources told the authorities it was unrequited. She allegedly quit the club to distance herself from the unwanted suitor, police said, without naming the man.
Mr Jirasak, meanwhile had contacted police in Phuket and turned himself in, said Pol Gen Chalermkiat, adding he was being taken to Chon Buri for interrogation.