Warrants out for suspects in Italian kill

PHICHIT: Arrest warrants have been issued for a Thai woman and her French boyfriend suspected of murdering an Italian man before they disappeared.

Phichit Provincial Court yesterday issued the warrants, as requested by police, for the arrest of Rujira Iemlamai, 38, and Frenchman Amuary Rigaud, 33, on charges of murdering and hiding the body of Italian Giuseppe de Stefani, 61, in Bung Na Rang district of this northern province.

According to police, the couple were suspected of murdering de Stefani and cutting up his body before burning the remains in a bonfire of rubber tyres near a reservoir.

Phichit police chief Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai Muannara said police across the country will be alerted to keep an eye out for the couple.

The dismembered Italian’s body was discovered in a forest in the district on Friday.

The dead man was Ms Rujira’s former boyfriend, and she and Mr Rigaud, her new French boyfriend, were named as the prime suspects.

Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai said the couple were found to have used de Stefani’s ATM card in the district and withdrawn money from his account before fleeing to Kamphaeng Phet and then Tak, where they were last seen.

Images of them were also captured on security camera footage selling a mobile phone at a department store, he said.

The Phichit police commander was confident the couple were still in Thailand and preparing to cross the border. Police expect the couple to flee to Laos.

Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai said immigration records showed Mr Rigaud had previously made several trips to Laos and back via the border crossing at Nong Khai.

Authorities both locally and in Laos are now stepping up their investigation and search.

Pol Maj Gen Thawatchai said police believe the couple will soon be arrested.