Pattaya: "Popular" British pensioner gunned down on way home after just returning from UK Xmas visit

[webfact]

Picture: Thai Rath

 

A British pensioner was shot multiple times in the back by an unknown assailant as he was returning home on a motorcycle in the Pattaya area.

 

Neil Lewis Roger, 71, had told his close friend that he was off to have a drink with a friend in town. After buying some groceries he headed home to Huay Yai but was shot on the way at least 3 times.

 

He died in a pool of blood 2 KM from his home. His friend called him a popular man who had no known enemies. 

 

First reports of the shooting in Soi Khao Makork 1 came in to Pol Maj Prakasit Paladech of the Huay Yai police who went to the scene with rescue services expecting to find an injured man. It was 9.45pm last night.

 

It's a quiet soi and at the scene a red Scoopy Honda bike was found on its side.

 

The victim had no pulse and was lying face down in a pool of blood. 

 

Medics tried to stem the flow of blood and perform CPR but it proved futile and the victim was pronounced dead at the scene.

 

He had been shot twice in the back and once under the waist with parts of the projectiles exiting shoulder and armpit.

 

Evidence of shots from a 9 mm weapon were found 50 meters away.

 

"Pop", 29, at the scene told Thai Rath that he had found the foreigner who was wearing a full face helmet.

 

He thought he had merely fallen off his bike and it was only when rescue services arrived that they all realised he had been shot.

 

"Em", 23, a hotel security man, said that he had been sleeping 300 meters away.

 

He said he heard 3 shots within a ten second timeframe.

 

Police managed to contact a close friend and carer of the deceased, 38 year old Thitiphan Kamlat from Mukdahan.

 

She arrived at the scene and was distraught. Fighting back tears she said that the decesed was a retired engineer from the UK.

 

They had been together for four years. 

 

On Christmas Eve he had flown back to the UK to be with his family and got back to Pattaya on Wednesday. 

 

At 4pm he said he was going for a drink with "Peter" in Soi Bua Khao in central Pattaya. She was invited but decided not to go.

 

She said that the deceased had no issues with anyone and had lots of friends being a popular guy.

 

Chonburi provincial police have determined that at 9.18 pm the victim was at a mini mart on Phra Tamnak hill.

There he bought two tins of baked beans, a loaf of bread and half a roast chicken.

 

He then went via Sukhumvit Road and Soi Chaiyapreuk towards his home in Huay Yai.

 

Police have suggested no motive at present.

 

They are studying CCTV to get a full picture of both the victim's movements and that of the assailant who shot him. 

 

More on this case as we hear of it at ASEAN NOW. 

 

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[HuskerDo2]

So sad when it happens to a good guy like this man seemed to be. It sounds like a very personal attack. It said he had no enemies, yet he apparently wasn't robbed so the shooter was very deliberate in this shooting and wanted the man dead.

 

I hope they find the attacker and give him what he deserves.

 

RIP.

[internationalism]

"Peter's" friend followed him or mistaken identity.

Phra Tamnak looks like not the shortest way home, he likely meet somebody there/gave lift to Peter's home or somebody else he had met in the pub

[Pedrogaz]

Sad.....RIP Neil.

[mikeymike100]

Mistaken identity perhaps?

[Seppius]

What location was he shot? Still in the Pratumnak area? I don't recognise the road

[KannikaP]

9 minutes ago, smedly said:

either an identity error (which I doubt)

 

or someone had something to gain likely financial, I know were I'd be looking, just back from home in the UK I know some people will bring cash with them, there may have been as much as 20,000 quid or more at his residence, that is motive to me...........financial

What a load of rubbish. Kill a man 2km from his home to get his money at home. And from where do you get the £20k from. 

[n00dle]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

What a load of rubbish. Kill a man 2km from his home to get his money at home. And from where do you get the £20k from. 

it is all just a round about way of saying his woman did it.

As for the 20k, im pretty sure we all know where he pulled that from.

[jacko45k]

7 minutes ago, mikeymike100 said:

Mistaken identity perhaps?

Yes, based on what can be gleaned from the details, maybe. Plenty of other possibilities based on possible details we have not been told too...

[jacko45k]

9 minutes ago, Seppius said:

What location was he shot? Still in the Pratumnak area? I don't recognise the road

4th paragraph.

[theoldgit]

Troll post, and responses, removed.

[smedly]

4 minutes ago, KannikaP said:

What a load of rubbish. Kill a man 2km from his home to get his money at home. And from where do you get the £20k from. 

can you not read, you obviously have no clue - like I said in my post - who benefits financially from his death - it's called motive and in Thailand when farangs are murdered it is almost always a financial motive - someone gains alot of money and thinks they will get away with it - cash that nobody knows about (not banked)

[KannikaP]

1 minute ago, smedly said:

can you not read, you obviously have no clue - like I said in my post - who benefits financially from his death - it's called motive and in Thailand when farangs are murdered it is almost always a financial motive - someone gains alot of money and thinks they will get away with it - cash that nobody knows about (not banked)

Yes I can read very well thank you. Your post is mere speculation and guessing.

[smedly]

8 minutes ago, n00dle said:

it is all just a round about way of saying his woman did it.

As for the 20k, im pretty sure we all know where he pulled that from.

his home in the UK, I know lots of people bring cash with them when returning here from a home visit

[smedly]

1 minute ago, KannikaP said:

Yes I can read very well thank you. Your post is mere speculation and guessing.

if you don't agree with what I said then fine I have no issue with that - it's called a discussion 

[n00dle]

Just now, smedly said:

his home in the UK, I know lots of people bring cash with them when returning here from a home visit

oh, that solves it. alright then. 

[RichardColeman]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

"Em", 23, a hotel security man, said that he had been sleeping 300 meters away.

 

If he's on the job, then I think he just lost his job

[KhunLA]

55 minutes ago, HuskerDo2 said:

So sad when it happens to a good guy like this man seemed to be.

Someone didn't think so ...

... or worse, just a random shooting/mugging attempt.  That's a bit scary.

[orchis]

38 minutes ago, smedly said:

either an identity error (which I doubt)

 

or someone had something to gain likely financial, I know were I'd be looking, just back from home in the UK I know some people will bring cash with them, there may have been as much as 20,000 quid or more at his residence, that is motive to me...........financial

 

RIP

thank you for solving this, pls inform the authorities 

[dddave]

Such pointless and cruel speculation.  This being Thailand it could just as easily been somebody angry because he looked at him the wrong way or some incident on the roadway.  A guy once chased me down and threatened me with a knife because I got in his way somehow.

[JonnyF]

Wow that's terrible.

 

Hope they catch the shooter. 

[scubascuba3]

The first suspect to rule out is the girlfriend and secret thai boyfriend\husband.

 

If popular, his friends will have a good idea 

[d4dang]

in my neck of the woods three shots are the message...in the torso if you are respected

 

[Cricky]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

security man, said that he had been sleeping

Doesn't surprise me

[KannikaP]

1 hour ago, smedly said:

if you don't agree with what I said then fine I have no issue with that - it's called a discussion 

OK, let's discuss it. You posted ' there may have been as much as 20,000 quid or more at his residence, that is motive to me...........financial'

You are correct there, but maybe there wasn't that much, if any. Discuss this please.

[Rimmer]

Unattributed post removed

[BritManToo]

2 hours ago, HuskerDo2 said:

So sad when it happens to a good guy like this man seemed to be. It sounds like a very personal attack. It said he had no enemies, yet he apparently wasn't robbed so the shooter was very deliberate in this shooting and wanted the man dead.

 

I hope they find the attacker and give him what he deserves.

 

RIP.

Back in the UK, the police would already be questioning his 39 year old 'carer'.

[mancub]

25 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Back in the UK, the police would already be questioning his 39 year old 'carer'.

Strange things can happen when the husband/sponsor is away. 

[Gottfrid]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

She said that the deceased had no issues with anyone and had lots of friends being a popular guy.

Looks like someone was having an issue.

[smedly]

1 hour ago, KannikaP said:

OK, let's discuss it. You posted ' there may have been as much as 20,000 quid or more at his residence, that is motive to me...........financial'

You are correct there, but maybe there wasn't that much, if any. Discuss this please.

you understand that in solving murder a motive is usually established first, in Thailand especially involving farangs that is usually were someone has something to gain and is almost always financial - I connected a very recent trip home to the possibility that he brought cash back with him which could very well be at his home and is also untraceable since it is not in a bank account, I know people that do this when visiting their home, the only person that knows about this cash is the deceased and very likely his live in Thai partner.

 

financial gain is a good place to start when looking for motive but very difficult to uncover were a wad of cash is concerned, his home bank might show a large withdrawal before returning to Thailand, this would indicate he had cash at his home, would Thai cops look at this - I'm not sure.

 

alternative to this would be a business disput (again financial) or mistaken identity, there's not much else that fits