Ranong Murder Verdict

[user4674534]

Finally. Justice!! Well done Richard and MJ

Can't stop thinking about the Maid though. It has always been my belief that she didn't run away but is probably sitting at the bottom of the canyon on the way to the radio towers (Chumpon Road). If she is alive, I hope this brings her some relief. That Tiger will taste good tonight!

[richardshane]

Thanks for all the encouragement...I would be more active in posting responses but both of my laptops have decided to pack it in and now I am left using my phone...a little small and time consuming which is why my first post in this thread is so brief...Thank-you to all the moderators, members ...this site has been a great tool box of information as well as support...you have no idea the emotions some of these posts have stirred...I don't think I've done anything over and above what most of you would have done if it was one of your loved ones...

[cdnvic]

Ex-wife gets life sentence for killing Victoria-born man in Thailand

By Chuck Chiang, Canwest News ServiceAugust 27, 2009 11:48 AM

All three people implicated in the shooting death of a former Cochrane, Alta., man in Thailand have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison, according to a relative of the victim attending the trial in Asia.

Richard Henry - whose brother, Dale, was killed in Thailand's Ranong province in February 2008 - told the Calgary Herald that the three suspects were all convicted of murder in a trial in the southeast Asian nation earlier this morning.

Dale Henry was born in Victoria and later moved to Alberta.

The convicted killers include Maneerat "Nee" Henry, Dale's wife at the time of his death; the woman's boyfriend; and a man who allegedly acted as the "hit man" in the shooting.

"It does give me a little satisfaction," said Henry, who travelled to Thailand on Feb. 13 to follow the trial more closely. "... but it's just hit me. What has come of everything? Four lives are gone: My brother's and theirs. And for what?"

According to Henry, local officials said killing a foreigner is punishable by death in Thailand, and both Nee and her boyfriend would have been sentenced to death if they did not confess shortly after their arrest last year.

The pair, ironically, were trying to get the confession thrown out during the trial, arguing that they were coerced into signing the statements.

The judge, Henry said, rejected the claim, adding that it was suspicious that Nee failed to contact the ambulance when she found the victim. Instead, she called police roughly 30 minutes after the discovery.

"He told her that, if you loved him (the victim), you would have called an ambulance," Henry recalled judge's opinion in court.

The case now moves to civil court, where Henry will look to recover his brother's assets - including a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and USD $22,000 in a bank account that was drained shortly after Dale's death. The whereabouts of the items are unclear, although Henry said he believes Nee may have sold the bike.

The next court date is scheduled for Sept. 7th.

"It will be a couple of months before I get back to Canada," Henry said of the court proceedings. "I got to keep working at her (Nee) so she doesn't use any of the money to defend herself. I mean, my brother was killed for this money.

"Everybody in court was saying we won. But really, can you call it winning? I don't know. I don't feel like I won. No one won."

Dale Henry, 48 at the time of his death, was a former Cochrane firefighter.

© Copyright © The Victoria Times Colonist

http://www.timescolonist.com/news/wife+get...5989/story.html

[NewGuy]

Great news. I hope this verdict will help the family find a measure of peace.

[GungaDin]

Dale Henry

More reporting: Here.

[brahmburgers]

I doubt this is over. A year or two, wait until the dust settles and the fix will be in. An intended quiet release when it is all quiet again is the only way the absence of a death sentence on the gunman makes any sense. Don't be too celebratory, the court probably feels it had no choice. In cases against farang, judges err on the Thai side unless it is airtight. They look for reasons to acquit or be lenient rather than the other way around. Given the gunman's alleged connections, I expect he will be out in under 5 years, same with the wife and the other one. Cynical? Possibly. Seen it all before. The Thai has a short span of attention and no moral compass. Wait until the dust has settled from the 9-day wonder then mais pen rais, jails are horrible, .....

I'm also a cynic in such matters. Let's hope 'life without parole' really means life without parole, and their life spans are shortened, as they shortened Dale's.

On average, about one farang per 2 months get popped off by money-grubbing Thai 'wives'. Hopefully knowledge of this verdict will circulate (at least in some circles, such as Thai women married to farang). It may give pause to the next series of women who seriously contemplate offing their farang husbands for money.

Though far less dire, I've been ripped off several times by construction workers who I thought were becoming close buddies via working together for months on end. They had no malice towards me, but simply saw a farang (all Thais think all farang are rich), and saw a chance to steal money, power tools, phones, cameras, credit/ATM cards (which they toss in the bushes, because they don't know how to use them), etc.

Money rules here. It certainly takes precedence over feigned love and commitment.

True love, for Thais, is some quaint odd emotion that they see depicted in movies, that's about it. I would say it's an emotion they read about in romance novels, but Thais don't read books.

[Mosha]

At Dale's funeral, I was talking with some of the wives. They were angrier and more upset than some of the guys who didn't know Dale, but happened to live in and around Ranong. They felt that Nee had put their own relationships at risk and were worried about how their husbands felt. These ladies up to the end were asking anyone they could, to turn up at court yesterday in support of Richard and Dale. Not one relationship has ended that can be put down to Dale's murder.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

Reference to His Majesty trashed.

[jackr]

Just one thing worries me. Does anyone know what life in prison in Thailand means, as in does it really mean life, or is it for a fixed period? I am sure for example in the UK. Life is 15years.

I thought it was 25, but anyway these people got life without appeal or pardon. Life in a Thai jail without parole has to be one-up from the death penalty for sheer agony and with a bit of luck they'll live to their 90s. Can't see them being let out at any time soon as others have mentioned as there'd be some serious face loss involved, and in any case, the court could quite clearly see they're scum.

All the best to all involved

[siamiam]

The whole world is proud of you and I'm sure your brother Dale is smiling, sitting on a cloud, being SO PROUD of his brother!

can't be said better, but I'd like to say it again.

Dale must have been proud, and indeed was a lucky man, to have a brother and sister such as Richard and Mary Jane!

[MaryJane]

Thank you all for your continued support and help in attaining Justice for Dale. It has been a very long ride. Thaivisa has been a great place for many of us share thoughts and ideas. It is a combination of family, friends, strangers, thaivisa, media attention etc. that kept this alive. I think it all played a part in the success of the trial.

I also would like to thank Thailand Justice for the fair handling of this and for the very important message it sends.

RIP Dale

[Mosha]

I have learned that the gunman was found innocent of the other killing hanging over his head. Without Richard I'd have him passing my door on a daily basis, so thanks buddy.

[Meridian007]

Congratulations! All of your work has paid off!

I hope the story gets a lot of play in the Canadian news, and that the embassy will decide that it can become involved more in assisting its citizens.

[jalansanitwong]

I followed this case from the beginning as i was in Ranong just shortly before Dale Henry got 'set up'. I am in the seafood business and i was advised to take a Thai escort with me if going to Ranong.(bodyguard). I was in Ranong no more than three hours and decided this place wasnt for me so we left. I had been told before hand by Thais not to go to Ranong as it can be very dangerous for farangs expecially those in business.I wanted to see for myself.There appears to be alot of conflict there due to the influence of Malaysians and Singaporean Chinese crews. Thats the impression i got anyway. Ive lived here a long time and i smelt a rat down there so i promptly departed . i dont think dale had the same experience or good advise as i fortunately had. I hope the courts throw the book at those cronies.

[bangon04]

Can't see them being let out at any time soon as others have mentioned as there'd be some serious face loss involved, and in any case, the court could quite clearly see they're scum.

All the best to all involved

Unfortunately, any loss of face necessary to keep them inside depends upon somebody keeping an eye on this for years to come and making a fuss / publicity again. As soon as it is forgotten, they will be out. So hopefully it will not be forgotten any time soon.

[Arkady]

Good news. Fortunately these three dirtbags didn't have the money and connections to buy their way out of it.

[Wombat6]

I was sitting in the Court and closely watching the 3 assassins. Jinda, the gunman,was a picture of pure evil . Nee was sitting nervously and I noticed her leg twitching .....she wasn't smiling this time as she had done in previous Court Appearances....the boyfriend was stone faced. After the sentences were given by the Judge, The Police in the Court handcuffed the two men but not Nee??, The gunman was smiling, the boyfriend gave a bit of a smirk to his family and Nee was still not smiling. None of them showed any signs of remorse and at that moment , I silently wished they all rotted in Jail for taking away one of my mates.

[OldenAtwoody]

All three were found GUILTY of conspiring to and murdering my brother in Ranong court.

Today's summation from Canada:"

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/200...ing-hitman.html

[GungaDin]

I was sitting in the Court and closely watching the 3 assassins. Jinda, the gunman,was a picture of pure evil . Nee was sitting nervously and I noticed her leg twitching .....she wasn't smiling this time as she had done in previous Court Appearances....the boyfriend was stone faced. After the sentences were given by the Judge, The Police in the Court handcuffed the two men but not Nee??, The gunman was smiling, the boyfriend gave a bit of a smirk to his family and Nee was still not smiling. None of them showed any signs of remorse and at that moment , I silently wished they all rotted in Jail for taking away one of my mates.

Wombat,

were cameras allowed in court?

I'm surprised that there is not one photograph of the trio apart from the tiny newspic, published back in early 2008!

[Loaded]

were cameras allowed in court?

Not normally. I think this is the same in most countries.

[idiot farang]

i followed his tragedy when Dale was murdered and it is nice to see that there is at least this shallow victory. killing someone... someone who loves you.... for money- truly beyond my comprehension. i only hope that these subhuman murderers live to a ripe old age in a Thai prison- wishing for their own deaths. i soooooo hope that predictions in this thread that they will end up being released prove to be wrong.

having had a family member murdered, i've followed along as Mary Jane and Richard have fought for justice. you've both done your brother proud and, quite possibly, thru the publicity, saved the life of another in the process. it's hardly a stretch to imagine that your efforts have altered the plans of a scheming Thai wife or caused a vulnerable farang to alter his will in such a way to deter falling victim as your brother did.

so, along with bringing your brother's killers to justice, you should also feel pride that there very well might be someone, not unlike Dale, who lives today as a direct result of what you've done. all the best to you both...

[MaryJane]

You guys are great...we didn't and couldn't have done this alone. This forum has given us spirit to carry on, when we had none left.

I have written the embassy to get the details of how long they will serve, I would like something official. I really don't think they will get any pre-release. Too much compelling evidence and publicity. It certainly doesn't stop here for me.

That beautiful Thai sun shines much brighter today!!

[MaryJane]

Wife guilty in Thai murder

Three reportedly get life sentences in Albertan's death

Chuck Chiang, Calgary Herald

Published: Friday, August 28, 2009

All three people implicated in the shooting death of a Calgaryarea man in Thailand have been convicted and sentenced to life in prison, according to a relative of the victim attending the trial in Asia.

Richard Henry--whose brother, Dale, was killed in Thailand's Ranong province in February 2008 --told the Herald the three suspects were all convicted of murder in a trial in the southeast Asian nation on Thursday.

The convicted killers include Manreet(Nee)Henry, Dale's wife at the time of his death; the woman's boyfriend; and a man who allegedly acted as the hit man in the shooting.

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Font:****"It does give me a little satisfaction," said Henry, who travelled to Thailand on Feb. 13 to follow the trial more closely.

"But it's just hit me: What has come of everything? Four lives are gone:My brother's and theirs. And for what?"

According to Henry, local officials said killing a foreigner is punishable by death in Thailand, and both Nee and her boyfriend would have been sentenced to death if they did not confess shortly after their arrest last year.

The pair, ironically, were trying to get the confession thrown out during the trial, arguing they were coerced into signing the statements.

The judge, Henry said, rejected the claim, noting it was suspicious that Nee failed to call for an ambulance when she found the victim.

Instead, she contacted police roughly 30 minutes after the discovery.

"He told her that, 'If you loved him (the victim), you would have called an ambulance,' " Henry recalled.

Back in Canada, Dale Henry's sister, Mary-Jane Matheson, said she was pleased with the verdict.

"I am so happy today . . . but sad to have lost our brother," said Matheson, who lives just outside Calgary.

Matheson said Dale's death was a great loss--not just to her family, but to his adopted home of Thailand.

"He had so much more to contribute to a country he loved," she said.

For Matheson, the verdict instilled a sense of confidence in Thailand's legal system she didn't have when the trial began.

"They didn't allow this to fall through the cracks and allow corruption to (influence) the decision," she said.

Despite a new-found faith in Thai justice, Matheson said she also believes scrutiny from the media and Canadian government officials--and the attention it helped create within Thailand-- helped ensure a just verdict.

"There were too many people watching this case," she said.

The matter now moves to civil court, where Henry will look to recover his brother's assets--including a Harley-Davidson motorcycle and $22,000 US in a bank account that was drained shortly after Dale's death.

The whereabouts of the items are unclear, although Henry said he believes Nee may have sold the bike.

The next court date is scheduled for Sept. 7.

"It will be a couple of months before I get back to Canada," Henry said of the court proceedings.

"I got to keep working at her (Nee) so she doesn't use any of the money to defend herself. I mean, my brother was killed for this money.

"Everybody in court was saying we won. But, really, can you call it winning?I don't know. I don't feel like I won. No one won."

Dale Henry, 48 at the time of his death, was a former Cochrane firefighter.

vAn rAsseL, CALgAry herALd

[sunlife2000]

great news made my day also

[Collywoggs]

All three were found GUILTY of conspiring to and murdering my brother in Ranong court.

OH THAT IS WONDERFUL NEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[loser1]

I followed this case from the beginning as i was in Ranong just shortly before Dale Henry got 'set up'. I am in the seafood business and i was advised to take a Thai escort with me if going to Ranong.(bodyguard). I was in Ranong no more than three hours and decided this place wasnt for me so we left. I had been told before hand by Thais not to go to Ranong as it can be very dangerous for farangs expecially those in business.I wanted to see for myself.There appears to be alot of conflict there due to the influence of Malaysians and Singaporean Chinese crews. Thats the impression i got anyway. Ive lived here a long time and i smelt a rat down there so i promptly departed . i dont think dale had the same experience or good advise as i fortunately had. I hope the courts throw the book at those cronies.

What was it specifically that put you off so that the rest of us can be on the look out for the signs and smells of rats.

[Collywoggs]

Ok I'm sure Richard won't mind. I have just got back from town. As far as we can work out, initially the black widow and lover boy were giving the death penalty. However as they confessed all, that was commuted to life without hope for appeal or pardon. Jinda Sae Tae was given life, but because of his suspected involvement in numerous other killings. Not withstanding a weapon was never found, he also will have no appeal nor pardon.

Richard is well pleased with the result and is now making moves to get back Dale's property, first on the list is the Harley. He knows where it is.

Wonderful NEWS!!!!!!!!!! I never seen this coming, after they were granted bail and were walking free I thought all hope was lost....

[Mosha]

i followed his tragedy when Dale was murdered and it is nice to see that there is at least this shallow victory. killing someone... someone who loves you.... for money- truly beyond my comprehension. i only hope that these subhuman murderers live to a ripe old age in a Thai prison- wishing for their own deaths. i soooooo hope that predictions in this thread that they will end up being released prove to be wrong.

having had a family member murdered, i've followed along as Mary Jane and Richard have fought for justice. you've both done your brother proud and, quite possibly, thru the publicity, saved the life of another in the process. it's hardly a stretch to imagine that your efforts have altered the plans of a scheming Thai wife or caused a vulnerable farang to alter his will in such a way to deter falling victim as your brother did.

so, along with bringing your brother's killers to justice, you should also feel pride that there very well might be someone, not unlike Dale, who lives today as a direct result of what you've done. all the best to you both...

Please qualify "Shallow victory". For the past 18 months my friends have lived through this, and at times we didn't think it would get this far. The folks in town have ensured that the police didn't let this go. I know the people I have talked are happy with the result.

[siamiam]

Thank You to the investigators that quickly discovered and arrested the perpetrators of Dale's murder. Without your good work and caring the case would likely have remained unsolved, possibly just another burglary gone bad. You are good people!

Krap Khun Krapom,

Kevin

[britmaveric]

Good result, but will they stick to it after all the publicity has died down??? Obvious to many here - the hitman is well connected.

Edited August 29, 2009 by britmaveric