British backpacker arrested for suspected murder of fellow Britons at Koh Tao

[webfact]

British backpacker arrested for suspected murder of fellow Britons at Koh Tao



BANGKOK: -- Surat Thani police yesterday arrested a British tourist after he was suspected to have connection with the deaths of two fellow Britons in Koh Tao off Surat Thani coast.

Police identified the British back packer as Christopher Alanvare.

Police said they arrested him after employees of a resort on the beach told police that Mr Christopher was seen strolling near the scene where the two British tourists were killed on the night of September 14.

Besides they also found a significant evidence which is a blood stain on his clothes.

Police said Christopher urgently left the popular diving paradise on the first ferry to the mainland the next day after the murder was discovered.

But the police said they are awaiting DNA test to prove the blood stain, and also from DNA samples tested by the Police Forensic Office if any DNA sample matching DNA found at the scene and the victim’s body.

Police have collected DNA samples from suspected foreign workers who lived near the scene for test.

Two Britons were discovered nakedly on a blood-stained beach on Koh Tao island last Sunday with deep wounds to the head and face.

The pair were attacked with a blood-stained hoe found with their clothes and suspect British girl had been raped.

The victims were at a beach party on Sai Ree Beach with about 50 other international revellers.

One resort employee said the bodies were found behind large rocks near the bungalows where they were staying.

‘It was the first time this has happened on the island, I have never seen anything like this,’ she said.

Tourist Police Division commander Pol Maj-Gen Apichai Ti-amnart disclosed Wednesday that three Myanmar workers, who were earlier detained for question after being suspected, have been freed after interrogation showed they were not involved.

He also said tourist police yesterday escorted and seen off three British female tourists who came together in the same group with British girl at Suvarnabhumi airport Tuesday night back to London.

They were still shocked with the murder, he said.

Ms Witheridge from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, was with four friends and arrived Wednesday September 10 on the island where she met Mr Miller, who had been there since August 25.

Forensic police chief Pol Maj Gen Pornchai Suthirakun said Wednesday morning that doctors would conduct autopsy on the two Britons’ bodies today to compare with DNA samples collected from suspects.

The result would be known in the afternoon.

The bodies of the two Britons arrived at the Police General Hospital yesterday.

They were discovered half-naked on a blood-stained beach on Koh Tao island with deep wounds to the head and face.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/british-backpacker-arrested-suspected-murder-fellow-britons-koh-tao/

-- Thai PBS 2014-09-17

[NongKhaiKid]

Let's hope there's more genuine evidence than ' seen strolling near the scene ', I presume if it's him he was strolling before and not after the crime.

They have found a bloodstain on his clothes but wasn't he already interviewed and allowed to go and the stain wasn't seen then ?

I'm not saying he's innocent but the BIB get everything arse for elbow and it raises doubt especially when told from the very top to get it solved ' yesterday '.

[thesetat2013]

What a twist. It will be interesting to see if they really have their killer or ae just tryin make a foreigner guilty to save their tourism. Good they were able to track down a single tourist and make an arrest however leaving the island (quickly) does not mean running from the scene of a crime

Sent from my GT-S5310 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[tomyummer]

Good to hear the Burmese were cleared. For quick closure I hope the evidence ends with the backpacker. Less damage to Thailand's identity for visitors. At least every inch of a break that Thailand gets now is a good break.

[NeverSure]

I really wish when something like this happens they'd immediately invite the British to rush some of their best people to aid in the investigation.

If nothing else it would show concern, and also prove transparency in the investigation.

[webfact]

Thailand murders: Police consider Western suspects

(BBC) Police investigating the murders of two Britons in Thailand have said they may have been wrong to rule out Western suspects, including a British man.

Hannah Witheridge, 23, and David Miller, 24, were found dead on a beach on the island of Koh Tao on Monday.

On Tuesday, police said they were focussing on the Burmese migrant worker community, including an man of "Asian appearance" pictured on CCTV.

But now they say new evidence has shifted the focus of the investigation.

BBC south-east Asia correspondent Jonathan Head said the evidence had led police to think a British man they questioned and released on Monday is still a possible suspect.

Full story: http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29234138


-- BBC 2014-09-17

[davejonesbkk]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

[draftvader]

All along I have suspected this. I wonder if this is the same chap they detained originally and let go because he explained his injuries (that is the DUMBEST thing I have read in a long time BTW.....just because he had injuries they figured that was the only thing they needed a cover story for). After the detention the lad left the island immediately and headed to Bangkok.

Back to my original story. Jealous, drunk, incidental implement, quick savage attack, attempt to move man, spooked, ran.

--EDIT--

Except for the post above mine adding something completely new into the scene......wow!

Edited September 17, 2014 by draftvader

[JOC]

Oh the irony!!

After all the posts here about the violent Thais and the not to be trusted Burmese, what an anticlimax if the culprit is a fellow Brit .

[Costas2008]

Good to hear the Burmese were cleared. For quick closure I hope the evidence ends with the backpacker. Less damage to Thailand's identity for visitors. At least every inch of a break that Thailand gets now is a good break.

I don't give a damn of the nationality of the killer or the reputation of Thailand.

What I want is the real killer to be found for the sakes of the families of those kids and the sakes of other people being killed by the same murderer.

[Fred Flinstone]

Shocking twist of events - the blood stains are strong evidence if the DNA matches.

Very tragic event but none the less good with we have the real killer.

[NongKhaiKid]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

So when initially interviewed his luggage wasn't searched and he's been carrying blood stained clothes around for a couple of days ?

If it is him he deserves to be caught.

[Nickymaster]

Good to hear the Burmese were cleared. For quick closure I hope the evidence ends with the backpacker. Less damage to Thailand's identity for visitors. At least every inch of a break that Thailand gets now is a good break.

I don't give a damn of the nationality of the killer or the reputation of Thailand.

What I want is the real killer to be found for the sakes of the families of those kids and the sakes of other people being killed by the same murderer.

I think he wants that too. But he still has a valid point I believe.

[Fred Flinstone]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

So when initially interviewed his luggage wasn't searched and he's been carrying blood stained clothes around for a couple of days ?

If it is him he deserves to be caught.

This does seem unlikely - smells like a patsy rat trap?

Lets see what he has to say -

If he isn't a psycho type and claims he was framed -

"He might be telling the truth ""

[HooHaa]

why is it unlikely?

it seems no less likely than any of the other scenarios.

Edited September 17, 2014 by HooHaa

[ColdSingha]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

i've just seen a picture of the guy, he doesnt have blond hair

[Briggsy]

In the appalling and yet unsolved case of the rape and murder of Kirsty Jones in Chiang Mai, police locked up a series of foreign "suspects" in order to hinder the investigation knowing full well who did it. (It was way too much trouble to pursue the real killer who an influential Thai.)

I would put little if any weight on these current reports. The Thai police have shown themselves to be totally unreliable. If the killer or killers are Koh Tao natives, they will be virtually untouchable. The police will go to lengths to make it look like they are doing something.

Whilst anything is possible, this was an extremely violent murder. The perpetrator would have a history of violence and of loss of control. A look into this suspect's background would provide some clear pointers one way or the other.

[Treborz]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

i've just seen a picture of the guy, he doesnt have blond hair

link?

Im guessing his name is Christopher Alan Vare rather than Christopher Alanvare

[arthurwait]

A blood stained hoe without any finger prints on it ?

[ColdSingha]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

i've just seen a picture of the guy, he doesnt have blond hair

link?

Im guessing his name is Christopher Alan Vare rather than Christopher Alanvare

http://m.sanook.com/tablet/news_detail/latest/1668489/

[chainarong]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

Let's hope there's more genuine evidence than ' seen strolling near the scene ', I presume if it's him he was strolling before and not after the crime.

They have found a bloodstain on his clothes but wasn't he already interviewed and allowed to go and the stain wasn't seen then ?

I'm not saying he's innocent but the BIB get everything arse for elbow and it raises doubt especially when told from the very top to get it solved ' yesterday '.

Cast your minds back a few years now to Chiang Mai , Murdered female British back packer , the BIB tried to pin a lad from Sydney, the girls parents got with the help of the BBC, a Ex Scotland yard investigator and turned out the murderer was the Thai owner of the premises, the Police were that furious they got the BBC kicked out of Thailand for some period of time.

[technologybytes]

I wouldn't say that a blood stain is significant evidence.

Murder needs a motive, establish the motive and they will have a case.

[sweatalot]

Good to hear the Burmese were cleared. For quick closure I hope the evidence ends with the backpacker. Less damage to Thailand's identity for visitors. At least every inch of a break that Thailand gets now is a good break.

I don't give a damn of the nationality of the killer or the reputation of Thailand.

What I want is the real killer to be found for the sakes of the families of those kids and the sakes of other people being killed by the same murderer.

and for the sakes of justice

[KarenBravo]

Apparently in the Thai language news the blood stained clothes were hidden in his luggage, also the guy had been raped too plus the girl had blonde hair in her hands, it's going to get interesting now for sure

i've just seen a picture of the guy, he doesnt have blond hair

link?

Im guessing his name is Christopher Alan Vare rather than Christopher Alanvare

In another news source, his name is quoted as Christopher Alan Ware.

[Bleacher Bum East]

Although certainly a hopped-up farang in a drug-induced jealous rage is a possibility, maybe even a strong one, we should wait and see how this plays out...

The Thai PBS news report isn't very clear and some things may be lost in cultural translation:

Does "arrested" just mean "detained for further questioning"?

That is what this different report suggests:

http://bangkok.coconuts.co//2014/09/17/police-question-backpacker-focus-shifts-blonde-hair-found-victims-hand

This other report also suggests the pants with blood stains were found in the victim David's room, not in the suspect's suitcase ... which would be odd for a murderer to kill somebody then go to the victim's shared room and leave his blood-stained pants behind.

Here is The Telegraph's current report:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11100980/British-man-prime-suspect-in-Thailand-murder.html

The Telegraph quotes the head of Kho Tao police when I thought the regional commander had come to take over the case.

And these other reports could actually support the suspect's claim that the injury to his hand happened the day before--e.g. he cut himself on the sharp rocks in shallow water and then removed and discarded his stained and ruined pants in his room (speculation but possible) along with bandages.

In any event, you would think that if Cristopher Alan Vare is the murderer, then his fingerprints would be all over the hoe, and this could be very quickly confirmed without waiting for DNA tests.

We'll have to wait and see...

But if Christopher Alan Vare is not the killer, then the police are certainly splashing his identity everywhere before checking certain basic matters and presumably before even charging him with a crime. This shouldn't be done to anybody--Farang or Thai.

Edited September 17, 2014 by Bleacher Bum East

[winnerinsix]

Terrible Terrible crime....

I am a little bemused by some of the comments here. To put in perspective, we currently have a govt, who's stated #1 objective is to get on top of corruption... And they appear to be all powerful at the moment... To me it appears, the vast majority of TV posters support that Govt.... Yet, many posters are talking about police corruption.... seriously? You can't have it both ways...


I think in this case, if we think logically, the fact that there was no robbery of phones or cash, kinda, to me anyway, points the finger of blame away from a local or a poor construction worker... There would be no motive whatsoever. I have thought, because of the lack of a robbery, that a farang was more than likely involved.... I thought maybe jilted lover... Tho, the revelations this afternoon are quite bizarre... maybe the person in custody is nuts? who knows? DNA will prove one way or the other if he has any involvement in this horrible crime... poor bloody kids...

Edited September 17, 2014 by winnerinsix

[arthurwait]

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

Is it my eyesight or is the person in the CCTV wearing shorts not these blood stained long trousers and has longer hair than the suspect ?

[HooHaa]

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

blocked, need vpn to access in thailand

[Treborz]

Just found a better picture

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2758358/Shirtless-prime-suspect-caught-CCTV-near-Thai-beach-party-two-British-tourists-bludgeoned-death-island.html

blocked, need vpn to access in thailand

[AlphMichaels]

My thoughts are closer to confirmation. Another in the group that the two victims were around makes the best sense. If it's this guy or another from a newly formed group of friends, one has to wonder what snaps in the mind (drug induced or otherwise) to commit such a heinous act.