Thai Police: Burmese man confesses to murdering British couple on Koh Tao

A Burmese man has confessed to the murders of British backpackers Hannah Witheridge and David Miller in Thailand, police have said. Miller, 24, from Jersey, died from drowning and a blow to the head, while Witheridge, 23, from Great Yarmouth, died from head wounds on Sairee beach last month. Their semi-naked bodies were found on the southern island of Koh Tao, near where they were staying, in the early hours of Sept. 15. A garden hoe with Witheridge’s blood on it was discovered nearby, and investigators have been searching for a blunt metal object used on Miller.

The investigation has advanced considerably.

Lt. Gen. Jaktip Chaijind, deputy national police chief

Deputy national police chief Lt. Gen. Jaktip Chaijinda said: “Three Burmese workers were detained and we took their DNA for testing. During the investigation one of them admitted to killing the two foreigners.” He added the man who had confessed was being detained, but had not been arrested. Reports suggested the man had been in detention since Sept. 16—the day after the killings. Thursday’s development came as the Phuket Gazette reported a Koh Tao taxi driver had accused police of trying to bribe him into giving a false testimony to frame members of a Thai football team whose DNA samples were also collected for tests.

We still have to wait for DNA tests results which we expect to have in 14 hours from now in order to confirm this.

Lt. Gen. Jaktip Chaijinda