British Man Arrested in Thailand for 20-Year-Old UK Murder Case

[MicroB]

https://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/news/north-yorkshire/news/news/2023/02-february/north-yorkshire-polices-lady-of-the-hills-case-heads-to-thailand/

 

 

Quote

 

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are aware of the detention in Thailand of David Armitage, the husband of Lamduan Armitage. We understand it relates to his visa status and residence in Thailand and is entirely a matter for the Immigration Service of the Royal Thai Police.

“Should Mr Armitage be deported, we understand that he will have a choice as to where he goes, which will include return to the UK. Should that occur, we will again make every effort to speak to him about the investigation."

 

 

One wonders about his grown up children. His stepson (the Thai lady's son) lives in the UK, daughter lived with him in Thailand, and his other son is in China.

[MicroB]

1 hour ago, ukrules said:

 

Why did they not run the DNA test when they found her and could not identify the body?

DNA tests have been around for a long time now and were in routine use back then.

 

That's not how DNA tests work. To identify someone from their DNA you either have to have their DNA already in a database, or have DNA from a relative to compare against. The deceased would not have had a sample on any UK dataset, unless she had previously been convicted of a crime.

 

What has improved is sensitivity.

 

When the body was found, it was described as being in an advanced stage of decomposition; it was summer. The descriptions photo taken by the unfortunate hillwalker who didn't notice the corpse in the stream behind him suggests it might have partly disarticulated (coming apart).

 

At the time, a DNA sample would have been retained, and clothing stored. The body had apparently no signs of injury that could have lead to death. Though I see mention of a spiral fracture to a finger, which has been suggested as being  consistant with a struggle. That fracture would have been noted in any post mortem at the time.

 

When the case was reviewed, that seems to be when information about the body having possibly been placed there, by use of a 4WD vehicle. What won't be divulged publicly is if improved techniques were able to identify the presence of DNA from a third party.

[Captain Flack]

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[proton]

8 hours ago, BritManToo said:

He worked at a Thai university using his own name for 20 years.

He had a work VISA, and completed the TM30 same as everyone else. He also renewed his British passport while here (maybe more than once), giving his Thai address.

Nobody arrested him as there was/is no evidence he ever committed any crime.

 

Not reporting a wife missing and lying about her running away is circumstantial evidence, very typical in spouse murder cases. My guess is going  for a walk in the hills then he strangled her. Motive? it's usually life insurance or an affair with somebody else.

[BritManToo]

2 minutes ago, proton said:

Not reporting a wife missing and lying about her running away is circumstantial evidence, very typical in spouse murder cases. My guess is going  for a walk in the hills then he strangled her. Motive? it's usually life insurance or an affair with somebody else.

Equally you could suggest she ran off with another man whom later killed her.

Or she was abducted while hitchhiking by a serial killer.

Or ran off then went for a walk, fell or got lost then died from exposure.

 

My point being, inaction from the husband is not evidence he murdered her.

It's up to the police to provide evidence of what happened.

He is under no legal obligation to say anything, or even talk to the police.

And if I were him I wouldn't talk to the police at all.

[MangoKorat]

6 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

No, they can´t, and they don´t without a fair reason.

With a decent lawyer he may well be able to stay in Thaland. Note he is being considered as a threat so his residency permit has been revoked. What is the threat?

 

With very little evidence against him in the UK, extradition may fail. The Thai authorities may also have difficulty in proving he's a threat.  They've known about him for quite a long time and I don't think he's done anything wrong whilst he's been in Thailand that would make him a threat. Hence a decent lawyer may get this reversed.

 

I'm not supporting this man in any way at all - I'm just looking at the legal perspective.

[BostonJoe]

Saw him in 711 about 2 months ago my wife pointed  him out to me and said the police are looking for him for murder.He definitely  wasn't hiding 

[Robert_O]

19 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Fairly common for a Thai wife living in the west to run off with another man too!

There's no evidence of any wrong doing by anyone at all in this case, even her death was originally classed by the police and coroner as 'not suspicious'.

I walk the Yorkshire dales every day. Yet I don't see bodies lying all over the place. It's another "whodunnit". 99% someone close! 

[Robert_O]

None British (caucasian) looking. Just forget about it. What happened to the old days when we had a chair in the vestibule of our house and our "Bobbie" was there exactly on time doing his rounds? He always had a hot cup of tea and a sandwich waiting for him. Now, you can't see a policeman in the streets.

[Scouse123]

14 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Did you forget the Swiss doctor kicker?

 

You mean the Swiss who kicked a Thai doctor who has now been cleared in court?

 

Still here to my knowledge.

[hotchilli]

22 hours ago, Denim said:

Good news for her family.

Nice cooperation between Thai and British police.

Agreed, got the bugger at last.

[MangoKorat]

Based on the stories and reports about this case that has returned to the news several times over the past few years - there is a high likelihood that this man is guilty.  However, for a prosecution to be successful, at least in the UK, there has to be evidence. 

 

Several other cases that have come to light over the last few years where evidence had been on the 'light side' at trial have resulted in reversals on appeal - albeit on some occassions much later. That is one problem with the jury system but now there's a far higher chance that a judge will give some direction to the jury. In some cases that direction is to acquit.

 

Nobody wants to see a guilty man go free but there must be evidence or there can be no justice.

 

I suspect that the UK police want to interview Armitage in the hope that he'll crack - yes they do that. If they have evidence, they will (or should) have to present it to the Thai courts in order for them to consider extradition.

[MCos]

There’s always the outside chance she meet with an accident, was abducted or killed herself

[Thingamabob]

20 hours ago, smedly said:

just took them 20 years

Took who 20 years ?

[Jack Hammer]

20 hours ago, BritManToo said:

Fairly common for a Thai wife living in the west to run off with another man too!

There's no evidence of any wrong doing by anyone at all in this case, even her death was originally classed by the police and coroner as 'not suspicious'.

I would not say fairly common for a Thai lady to run off with another man, but it does happen as in other nationalities. One thing I have noticed here in Thailand is Thai ladies have a very short bereavement after the loss of their western husbands. Two cases I know personally. Case one.  European guy left Thai lady an absolute fortune, built a mansion, although he never seen it completed. He bought land, tractors, pick ups, you name it  he bought it. Six weeks after his demise she was off on a holiday with a Western guy.  
Case two. Thai lady with Australian guy for 12 years left her some means and a modern car. She went back to her village for six weeks, came back to the old residence, two weeks after that, working in a bar, hooks up with a Western guy and she takes him back to her village and he is building her a home. Two months after the  guy is dead  she’s back on the game. 

[wavodavo]

13 hours ago, Gottfrid said:

No, but wasn´t that fair reason enough. We don´t need such idiots here.

I would say that the Thai authorities would not have got off their bum and gone have rounded him up and cancelled his visa etc. if the Brit Police didn't have a strong case . After all  there is nothing in for them  . He will be extradited to the U.K .and be charged with murder and face the court.From the video story I watched there is a lot of circumstantial evidence..didn't report her missing ...un-coperative etc. but is that enough ?? Ineresting that he wouldn't let the police talk to the daughter I bet she could help the Police. One thing is for sure the mongrol will lose that big fat guts if he"s held for a while in immigration detention in Bangkok.

[HammerGuy]

20 hours ago, Denim said:

 

He has been approached before but would not talk to the police.

 

David Armitage was located in 2019 and denied any involvement in his wife's death.^[24] The cause of death remains unknown, but the police have not ruled out murder.^[25]

In February 2023, British police travelled to Thailand to further their investigation.^[26] They had wanted to interview David Armitage, but he refused to speak to them.^[27]

 

^{https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Lamduan_Armitage}

Sounds as if they got the right man, But let's hope the O.B. can crack the case as they've spent 20 yrs preparing it 

[Captor]

21 hours ago, smedly said:

just took them 20 years 

Red bull next!

[Classic Ray]

There may not be enough evidence to warrant extradition, but seems enough to convince Thai authorities to declare him persona non grata and deport him.

 

He will then need to convince another country to take him if he wants to avoid detention/interview in the UK. UK police will probably give any other potential host country their reasons for considering him under suspicion and hope he eventually is forced back to the UK.

[MangoKorat]

13 hours ago, MicroB said:

A North Yorkshire Police spokesperson said: “We are aware of the detention in Thailand of David Armitage, the husband of Lamduan Armitage. We understand it relates to his visa status and residence in Thailand and is entirely a matter for the Immigration Service of the Royal Thai Police.

“Should Mr Armitage be deported, we understand that he will have a choice as to where he goes, which will include return to the UK. Should that occur, we will again make every effort to speak to him about the investigation."

Not a critcism of your post at all but the quote from North Yorkshire Police does not mention extradition at all - quite the contrary in fact. The article here states:

 

He was subsequently detained at the Immigration Detention Centre in Suan Phlu, Bangkok, for extradition proceedings under the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between Thailand and the United Kingdom.

 

It would be useful to know what the actual position is.

 

[cardinalblue]

Has he been on an expired visa for 20 years? It shows you how easy it is to disappear in the Thai culture 

[MangoKorat]

3 minutes ago, Classic Ray said:

There may not be enough evidence to warrant extradition, but seems enough to convince Thai authorities to declare him persona non grata and deport him.

As far as I know, there are legal options that he can pursue in Thailand. I'm pretty sure he will be able to appeal against his residency being revoked.  If that is the case then surely a judge will ask what evidence there is to support Immigration's claim.  If North Yorkshire Police cannot come up with enough evidence to support a request for extradition, then how can Immigration claim he is a threat?

 

Its all very confusing and it would be good to know what the facts are.

[wensiensheng]

21 hours ago, Upnotover said:

Indeed, even though it's not been stated that way.  But to describe him as a fugitive living in hiding is not very accurate.

Considering that the British police travelled to Thailand to talk to him in 2023, a “fugitive in hiding” is highly inaccurate. 

[MangoKorat]

51 minutes ago, wavodavo said:

He will be extradited to the U.K .and be charged with murder and face the court.From the video story I watched there is a lot of circumstantial evidence..didn't report her missing ...un-coperative etc. but is that enough ??

Circumstantial evidence does not carry the same weight as direct evidence, especially when there is no direct evidence.  For example: you may commit a crime within a building. I may see you walking down the street afterwards and bear witness to that. If there is no evidence that you were actually in the building and no further evidence exists - a conviction would be highly unlikely and almost certainly appealed successfully as unsafe.  Circumstantial evidence is mainly used to back up direct evidence.

 

Juries are more likely to take account of circumstantial evidence than judges are - which is why such convictions are often dismissed at appeal. Juries decide most criminal cases, judges rule on appeals.

[Chongalulu]

57 minutes ago, cardinalblue said:

Has he been on an expired visa for 20 years? It shows you how easy it is to disappear in the Thai culture 

Reading and comprehension difficulties, Cardinal?

[SiSePuede419]

On 1/26/2025 at 6:47 AM, Georgealbert said:

Lamduan had moved to the UK to live with her British husband, David Armitage, and their two children.

PROTIP: Don't move to England to murder your Thai wife. 👍

[TheFishman1]

Well certainly with all this interaction and cooperation with the UK police in the Thailand police and immigration you think they’d be able to find the Red Bull kid whatever happened to the Red Bull kid how come he’s not been expedited back to Thailand to Face charges of killing the cop sending the butler to the police station and then the following day taking daddy‘s jet to Singapore wherever and sending a note to the judge saying that he was too ill to show up what’s going on with that do they just wait till the statue of limitations run out for killing the cop then he comes back and all is forgiven how come they don’t go after that kid I guess the justice system just depends on how Richard you are how deep your pockets are in Thailand TIT 

[Surasak]

21 hours ago, BritManToo said:

He worked at a Thai university using his own name for 20 years.

He had a work VISA, and completed the TM30 same as everyone else. He also renewed his British passport while here (maybe more than once), giving his Thai address.

Nobody arrested him as there was/is no evidence he ever committed any crime.

So, obviously hiding! In plain sight!

From some of the comments here, innocent until proven guilty is just not a consideration.

[Surasak]

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

Considering that the British police travelled to Thailand to talk to him in 2023, a “fugitive in hiding” is highly inaccurate. 

I also feel sure that had the Yorkshire Police had any hard evidence of his guilt at that time, they would have instigated extradition proceedings back then.

[Nick Carter icp]

1 hour ago, wensiensheng said:

Considering that the British police travelled to Thailand to talk to him in 2023, a “fugitive in hiding” is highly inaccurate. 

 

   But he hid from the Police and didn't speak with them when the UK Police visited Thailand