LATEST: American fugitive captured after shooting himself, Thai wife arrested

[webfact]

LATEST: American fugitive captured after shooting himself and Thai wife

 

 

Bart Allen Helmus and his Thai wife Sirinapha Wiset-rit have been arrested at a property in Sa Kaeo.

 

Thai media reported Helmus allegedly shot himself as officers swooped in.

 

He has been taken to hospital.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earlier, Noi or Ton Nilthes, who was the other suspect to escape from Pattaya Court on Monday was recaptured.

 

Police said they apprehended Nilthes in Sa Kaeo province close to the border with Cambodia. 

 

A video shared on Facebook purportedly showed Nilthes being led away by police.

 

 

 

Earlier on Wednesday multiple Thai news outlets reported that Sirinapha Wiset-rit, 30, had been arrested on Tuesday night.

 

However, by mid-morning Wednesday contradictory reports in Thai media said she was still on the run along with her American husband.

 

On Tuesday police described the three suspects as dangerous and warned the public not to approach them.

 

On Tuesday afternoon the getaway vehicle used by the group was found abandoned in Sri Racha, while a white Mitsubishi car also thought to be used by the group was found in Sa Kaeo on Tuesday night.

 

It was initially believed the white Mitsubishi was used by Sirinapha Wiset-rit and it was the discovery of this vehicle that lead to reports of her arrest, but that was not the case.

 

On Monday, Helmus, Sirinapha and Nilthes were due to face drugs charges in Pattaya Provincial Court.

 

The American and his wife were arrested in Pattaya in July after being found in possession of nearly 1kg of crystal meth, a pistol and 200 bullets.

 

However, before the hearing they escaped after Helmus stabbed a guard at the court while Nilthes, who was armed with a gun, forced guards to hand over the keys to their ankle chains.

 

They fled to a waiting Isuzu pick up truck.

 

A huge manhunt was then put in place, with police stating from the outset they believed the trio would try to head for the border with Cambodia.

 

An investigation is underway to establish how Helmus and Nilthes came to be in possession of a knife and gun.

 

This is a developing news story. This post may be updated without warning. 

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2019-11-06

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[JimmyTheMook]

Yeah right, he shot himself.

[Samui Bodoh]

I believe that the street term is "Suicide by cop"

 

However, I have little sympathy for the guy, so...

[shady86]

His life is worth only to be carried away in a pickup, not an ambulance.

[thaikahuna]

As Chris Rock stated so eloquently in his stand up, If the POlice have to come after you, they're bringing and @$$-kicking with them.

[Nice Boyd]

4 minutes ago, worgeordie said:

Good news, you can run but you cannot hide from the Thai Police

they always get their man and woman in this case, BUT why can 

they not catch Red Bull.

regards Worgeordie

They obviously don’t get their man

[LillyBangkok]

Good job!!

[Thaiwrath]

28 minutes ago, webfact said:

He has been taken to hospital.

I really do hope he recovers, and his next 39 years might not be so good.

[unamazedloso]

no way. cops killed him. guys a runner and a fighter i reckon.

[mercman24]

where does it say he is dead, he is in hospital, just wondering about the 40,000 baht out patient insurance.

[steven100]

wow   !   and a shootout  …..   more popcorn please  !   ????

[colinneil]

A lot of BS flying about regarding this story, this morning his wife had already been caught.

Now we are being told he shot his wife and himself, how was this possible if she was already in custody?

[bluesofa]

1 minute ago, colinneil said:

A lot of BS flying about regarding this story, this morning his wife had already been caught.

Now we are being told he shot his wife and himself, how was this possible if she was already in custody?

Very long shotgun.

[spiekerjozef]

what about the 50.000 thb

[steven100]

47 minutes ago, webfact said:

she was still on the run along with her American husband.

she is in the back of the pick up … and he is in the bush and being carried out   !! 

I reckon the police shot him as he was trying to flee ….     excitement plus !   ????

[Katipo]

Seems there escape wasn't as well thought out as originally thought. They obviously intended to cross into Cambodia, but would appear they had neither the time nor means to do so. #regrets

[Mitkof Island]

50 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Yeah right, he shot himself.

To bad they did not make a head shot

[madmen]

50 minutes ago, JimmyTheMook said:

Yeah right, he shot himself.

Why not he was going to get beaten bad and then locked up for life..<deleted> that !

[Mitkof Island]

Just now, Katipo said:

Seems there escape wasn't as well thought out as originally thought. They obviously intended to cross into Cambodia, but would appear they had neither the time nor means to do so. #regrets

The lowest of the low always heads for Cambodia.

[kwak250]

6 minutes ago, colinneil said:

A lot of BS flying about regarding this story, this morning his wife had already been caught.

Now we are being told he shot his wife and himself, how was this possible if she was already in custody?

I thought that !

Maybe they shot her then took her with them and shot him ?

 

[Rimmer]

Some troll posts have been removed

[Vacuum]

14 minutes ago, steven100 said:

she is in the back of the pick up … and he is in the bush and being carried out   !! 

I reckon the police shot him as he was trying to flee ….     excitement plus !   ????

You mean the one with the phone cam?...  555

[from the home of CC]

12 minutes ago, madmen said:

Why not he was going to get beaten bad and then locked up for life..<deleted> that !

I agree. My inclination would be to end it rather than face that bleak future..

[gomangosteen]

Different news stories ... Khaosod has this

 

Quote

SA KAEO — A manhunt for drug suspects who staged a dramatic breakout from a Pattaya court came to an end Wednesday with one of the fugitives committing suicide and police arresting the other two.  

 

Bart Allen Helmus briefly held his wife and accomplice Sirinapa Wisetrit as a hostage at gunpoint as police were closing on them in Sa Kaeo province before turning the gun on himself. The other suspect, Noi Nilthes, also surrendered himself to the police on the same day. 

 

[trainman34014]

15 minutes ago, Mitkof Island said:

The lowest of the low always heads for Cambodia.

I wouldn't put Yingluck in that category !

[Lionrock2312]

1 hour ago, shady86 said:

His life is worth only to be carried away in a pickup, not an ambulance.

Of course you wouldn't have said that to his face

[steven100]

3 minutes ago, gomangosteen said:

  Quote

SA KAEO — A manhunt for drug suspects who staged a dramatic breakout from a Pattaya court came to an end Wednesday with one of the fugitives committing suicide and police arresting the other two.  

 

Bart Allen Helmus briefly held his wife and accomplice Sirinapa Wisetrit as a hostage at gunpoint as police were closing on them in Sa Kaeo province before turning the gun on himself. The other suspect, Noi Nilthes, also surrendered himself to the police on the same day. 

so this report says ….. he held the wife and the other thai hostage before turning the gun on himself.

Unbelievable   !!     this movie has all the makings of a Gold Logie winner  !!

more popcorn please  .. ????     when is intermission  … 

[CharlieH]

off topic remark removed.

[kwak250]

2 minutes ago, Lionrock2312 said:

Of course you wouldn't have said that to his face

Haha i expect he kept looking out the window while typing it.

[scorecard]

30 minutes ago, colinneil said:

A lot of BS flying about regarding this story, this morning his wife had already been caught.

Now we are being told he shot his wife and himself, how was this possible if she was already in custody?

Headline: 'American fugitive captured after shooting himself, Thai wife arrested' Does it say somewhere else in this thread that he shot his wife?