STRANGE DEATHS
UNUSUAL WAYS OF SHUFFLING OFF THIS MORTAL COIL
A man is thought to have fallen to his death as he tried to escape from a flat in which he was locked. Monty Chitta, 53, is believed to have slipped while trying to climb through a skylight. His body was found in the Luton flat on Christmas Day 2019, covered by a duvet and with his head on a pillow. A coroner’s report found he had suffered injuries consistent with a fall from height, including fractures of the skull, ribs and pelvis. There was no indication that he had been murdered. The report stated that Mr Chitta had visited shops and a pub that night, and had most likely gone with two other men to the empty flat to continue drinking. The inquest heard he called a taxi for the other two men, who activated a door bolt when they left, leaving him trapped inside. Evidence showed he had made unanswered phone calls during his attempts to escape. Police have been unable to trace the other men, or the person who placed Mr Chitta under the duvet. BBC News, 27 Aug 2020.
An Indian man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife, together with a snake charmer accomplice. Sooraj Kumar, 27, from the Kollam district in Kerala state, is accused of buying a highly venomous Russell’s viper from a local snake charmer, Suresh. He is said to have induced the viper to bite his 25-year-old wife Uthra on 2 March 2020. Hospitalised for seven weeks, she was discharged at the end of April and was recovering at her parents’ house. Kumar then purchased a cobra from Suresh, throwing it at his wife while she was asleep in bed. The next morning she was found unconscious, and despite medical treatment, she died on 7 May. The 152cm (60in) snake was found in her room and was beaten to death by neighbours. Indian cobras and Russell’s vipers are among the four most dangerous snakes in South Asia, the cobra being responsible for around 15,000 deaths per year. The Russell’s viper causes more deaths in India than any other snake, with an estimated 25,000 annual fatalities. It is known as an irritable, short-tempered, and very aggressive snake which coils tightly, hisses, and strikes with lightning speed.
Phone records established that Kumar had been in contact with serpent handlers, and police also found he had been watching snake videos on the Internet. They believe he wished to divorce his wife and remarry, but feared he would then have to repay a substantial dowry of nearly 100 gold coins, 500,000 rupees (£5,400) and a new car. Times, 26 May; D.Mail, 26 May; bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com, 29 May 2020.
Seasonal construction workers Jose Chacon, 39, and his flatmate Alfonso Rodriguez, 41, were heard arguing at 7.30am by their neighbours in Palm Beach, Florida. Chacon had pointed his .38 semi-automatic at Rodriguez, who laughed when it failed to discharge, saying: “Shoot me... your gun does not work.” Chacon then fired once, striking his victim in the upper left chest and killing him. Chacon, who allegedly pointed his gun at two other residents, pulling the trigger several times but without it firing, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and three counts of aggravated assault and was sentenced to eight years imprisonment. Palm Beach Post, 16 May 2017.
Coffee roaster Simon Theaker, 44, was mowing the lawn of his family’s farm at Cusop, Herefordshire, when he fell down a 10ft (3m) bank, his ride-on mower landing on top of him. Walking in the garden three hours later, his fiancée found him lying dead, trapped face-down in the river. Mr Theaker ran the Black Mountain Roast coffee roastery there; his parents, describing his death as a “tragic accident”, added: “Simon will rest in his favourite place on the farm”. Sun, 28 May 2020.
A 16-year-old Thai schoolgirl died after being electrocuted by her earphones. She had been listening to music on her mobile phone while doing homework; the phone was plugged in and charging at the time. Her father, who had recently been made redundant due to the coronavirus pandemic, said she had returned from school and, as usual, went to her room to complete her homework. When she didn’t emerge for some time, he went to check on her and found her slumped over her books with a burn mark on her neck. He tried CPR without success and then took her to hospital where medics were unable to revive her. The 39-year-old father, who had split up from the teen’s mother when she was two, had used his redundancy pay to return to his own parents’ home so he could help till their fields and look after his daughter. forum.thaivisa.com, 14 Sept 2020.