Phuket Murder Suspect Turns Self In, Claims Innocence

[webfact]

Phuket murder suspect turns self in, claims innocence

Watcharin 'James' Limmanee (third from left) hides his face from journalists during a press conference on Saturday as Phuket City Police Supt. Wanchai Ekpornpit updates the media on the Wanphen Pienjai murder investigation.

PHUKET: -- Police on Saturday announced the arrest of the third suspect wanted in connection with the June 26 shooting murder of 17-year-old Witarn Chuaykuea at a Phuket Town gas station.

Watcharin “James” Limmanee, 21, handed himself in to Phuket City Police Station last Thursday to proclaim his innocence.

Narongchai “Tan” Boonprom of Nakhon Sri Thammarat, arrested earlier, confessed to shooting Mr Witarn in the face with a sawed-off shotgun in a fit of jealous rage.

He claimed that Mr Witarn had been “hanging out” with his ex-girlfriend, who Mr Narongchai had broken up with about two months earlier.

For our original report on the fatal attack on Mr Witarn, click http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/detail.asp?fromsearch=yes&Id=8884&Search=murder

At the press conference on Saturday, Mr Watcharin said he did not know the other two men would attack the youth when he was asked to join them.

All three men arrived at the gas station on the same motorbike.

Mr Watcharin maintained that he was not involved in the fighting that led to the shooting.

Numerous witnesses could be called to testify with regard to Watcharin's claim, as the shooting took place early Saturday night at one of the busiest gas stations in Phuket.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-07-06

[Valentine]

I cannot see anything, in this article, about the update on the other murder even though it was mentioned in the 1st line & the photo shows a policeman holding a sketch of the suspect.

[asiawatcher]

More sensationalistic press from the Police justifying their (non) existence. Go back to scamming tea money on streets.

[bkkjames]

Didn't the original article claim it was a farang suspect? Or are these different cases? That sketch looks like the guy from another article about a murder of some girl in Kata? 

Maybe I need a coffee.

[Valentine]

Didn't the original article claim it was a farang suspect? Or are these different cases? That sketch looks like the guy from another article about a murder of some girl in Kata? 

Maybe I need a coffee.

The article stated the police were going to give an update of the murder of the girl found in Kathu (she worked in a bar in Kata) which is why the policeman was holding the photo but there was no update reported in this article. The 3 Thais in the photo are suspects in a murder at a petrol station in Phuket Town.

[grumpyoldman]

Talk about confusing everybody, these are seperate crimes, and the photo of the cop holding the suspect in the bar hostesses murder, really confuses things.

Guys seated in the photo are accused of murdering a Mr. Witarn, he was hanging out with one of those guy's ex-girlfriend.

Photo cop is holding is the sketch of the suspect wanted in the murder of the Kata bar hostess.

Phuket Gazette "The island's source of misinformation and overpriced real estate".

[billythehat]

Farang no unnerstan our culture... What the cop is actually saying is “Dis picture hab be an example of wot can hab happen to yoo if yoo commit cwime bad like these Somchai’s..”...check out the Somchai’s reactions to that threat in the photo...