American Killer Tells Phuket Police 'It Was A Terrible Accident'

[Slip]

^^ Dukeleto - you're right. Apologies to all.

[chickenslegs]

I hope the police have checked to confirm that his wife and child really did go back to her home village.

[Rucharee]

errr ...

Prostitution is illegal in Thailand

Since when?

Since the 1st women is born.

[lovebkk]

I hope the police have checked to confirm that his wife and child really did go back to her home village.

Good point I'd say.

[TonyBkk]

I wonder would the police have been under such intense pressure to bring Ms Wanphen's killer to justice had it not come out that he was a foreigner.

[webfact]

UPDATE

Phuket neighbors describe Finelli as quiet, reserved

The two-story townhouse where Mr Finelli killed

Ms Wanphen and stuffed her remains into a suitcase.

PHUKET: -- Neighbors of confessed murderer Ronald Finelli said he and his family kept to themselves and didn’t have close relations with anyone in the residential estate where they lived for about one year prior to his sudden disappearance.

The killing of 33-year-old bar hostess Wanphen Pienjai occurred at a two-story townhouse in the recently-built Tantong Villas estate, opposite the entrance to Phuket Villa California on Chao Fa East Rd.

The neighborhood is neat, prosperous and modern, with well-paved walks, trees and places for recreation – the type of estate conformable to the tastes of Phuket’s rising middle class.

Finelli and his family lived on a small dead-end soi – containing perhaps twenty homes in all – five blocks past the guarded entrance.

The house where he lived is up for rent. His former landlord, Urai Jantorn, said that Finelli had lived in the house one year.

“His wife contacted me about renting the house. My dealings were always with her, because of language. They led normal lives as far as I could see; I didn't really know them," she said.

Yet, one thing the couple did was strange, especially for people in tough financial circumstances who might need to recover their rental deposit: "They failed to give notice before moving out," said K Urai. "I didn't know they'd moved until a Thai friend called to notify me that the police came to investigate," she said.

Neighbors said the confessed killer was rarely in evidence. No one in the neighborhood knew him. He had no rowdy parties, no big fights, no traffic of friends or visitors.

"His wife often took the baby out for a walk in the stroller," said a fruit vendor living on the soi. "She had a stout older sister or friend who came to visit. We'd often see them talking as they strolled with the baby, an infant boy," she said.

Ms Wanphen's murder happened after Finelli's wife returned to her home in the northeastern province of Mahasarakham, taking the couple's young child with her and leaving the American alone and in dire financial circumstances, police said at a press conference earlier today.

-- Phuket Gazette 2010-07-19

[Boater]

I think we all know the answer to that tonybkk ...

[Boater]

"I didn't know they'd moved until a Thai friend called to notify me that the police came to investigate," she said.

So they are saying she was there ? Do they have exact dates on when the wife left ? Could this be a case of the thai wife came home to discover the pair at it ?? ...

[hegenious]

This man saw the bar girl as something less than he was, and the murder was a show of power -

And you know of this because... ?

The guy is clearly mentally unstable and may just have snapped when she demanded paying.

and your particular spin on it is more accurate?

it certainly demeans and dehumanises the deceased

well said

[hegenious]

That man must have real problems. To keep weapon and cloths from crime is not a normal thing

because killing someone and then disposing of the evidence (the poor woman's dead body, her bones broken to fit her in a suitcase) is normal?

Clearly a nutter, unless proven otherwise. Unfortunately, what he deserves, he will not get.

[jackinbkk]

I really have to wonder, why is there so much interest in this particular murder case in Phuket? There were 4 other murders in June along with this one. Only in this case was there a 50,000 Baht reward offered by the police. The big BIB's from Bangkok and Surat Trani were putting pressure on as well. There were 45 murders on Phuket in 2009, an average of 3.75 per month according to a Phuket Gazette article... Yes, I feel from the woman's family, but what about all the other families? Don't they matter?

Could it be that the case involved something key to Tourism in Thailand and Phuket in particular that brings so many

people here to spend their money

If young thai female's were to become afraid of all farang male's visiting the area, could this have a negative impact on the economy.

Let me get back to you on this one.

On a lighter side. A professional gambler who decides to move to Thailand. A country where gambling is illegal. Perhaps not the

most sensible decision to start with...

[sunanta]

<br>Prostitution is illegal!! Ahahahahah..<br>

<br>yes it's illegal, but try going down the road without a helmet<br><br>

[ThaiFelix]

What a crazy story.

I googled his name and found this interview with him back when he played poker. A bit irrelevant but some people might be interested:

Actually, just watched all of it. It is relevant, the guys mad!

Agreed, one can short of a six pack.

Now to the police sympaphy.... the way I read it there were some sympathetic police reported, but I think what some have read as police excuses are actually them chasing motives. And the dodgy internet connection...well,... there have been times when I could have strangled my wife when she interupts my wrestling match with my computer coz it wont do what I want it to do. And all she has to say is 'what do you want for dinner honey/' HOW DARE SHE !!!

I think what we should also remember is there have been a lot of f.....ed up guys come outa Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan etc and just plopped back on the streets by their govts without any real debriefing/assessment rehab etc. to turn them from freaked out killers to normal civs.

Remember Timothy McVeigh???

Tim McVeigh....That's going back over 15 years. Is that the best you have to try to denigrate the USA with? There are currently over 1,500,000 active duty US personnel, not including almost 1,000,000 reserve personnel. As a percentage of the military population at large since 1995 I don't see that we have a world wide epidemic of blood thirsty rapes and murders being committed by US military personnel. I can't speak for the Air Force but the Navy, Marine Corp and the Army all debrief their personnel coming out of combat assignments contrary to your assertion.

Ok ok keep your shirt on. Phew, do you see what I mean. One mention of a name that connects with the Usa and you got hel_l on your doorstep. You have proved my point completely.

Goodnight.

[ilyelol]

so sad to see a Navy Officer come to this . And now his kid lost his chance to be reunited with dad some day .

Strange he didn't dispose of the knife and clothes properly . But I fail to see an accident in this story .

you clearly dont know him.

his kid will have a better life living on a rice farm with an ex-prostitute in issan.

and he will probably be richer from rice farming than with this low-life(yes i know him and yes hes a crazy guy that should of been put behind bars about 2years ago)

[hegenious]

Killing a 40 kg poor girl, maybe just because she asked for the 1000 baht he had promised her. What a HERO. And poker players are professional liars, so no point in listening what excuses he's pulling to justify is act. And yes, he'll probably be back in the U.s. after 8 years. No need to say that 8 years in a thai prison equal 80 in a western one. He'll have plenty of time to play poker in the next years...

So true, and it reminds me of that other women killing and poker playing bastard, Joran van der Sloot. Now, if the world has ever seen a liar...

Not sure if MadYank will have plenty of time for playing poker though, but can you imagine all the free sex he will be getting? Think of it, him being approached by the other inmates, "playfully" asking for sex, night after night, and no switchblade at hand... (at least, not his hand).

[747man]

<BR>

He has committed murder and should be treated the same as any Thai that commits the same crime at home.

<BR><BR>there are many Thai murders walking the streets of Thailand after only serving very short sentances...... ( and some without even serving a prison sentance )<BR>

Some 6 or 7 years ago a Druken Thai Male MURDERED A Thai Lady ( Not a Pro/Bar Girl ) in the girls own house after a break in went wrong,He tried to Rape her,She resisted, He beat her head in with a Pestle,causing her a fractured skull & internal bleeding,from which She died 24 hours later, The guy was caught,went to court & was sentenced to XX Years,His Family PAID someone in authority........Where is the guy NOW......???? Walking the streets a FREE Man,Never even did A Week inside...This is True it happened right over the road from me at 3.00 am I was woken by the screaming of the lady & tried to tend to her injuries in the pissing down rain....<BR><BR><BR>

[simon43]

This is a really sad case. I'm not siding with the 'hang him high' brigade because it seems that his own situation (wife and baby son leaving him, no money etc etc), pushed him too far and he cracked. No sane person would do what he did to that woman, regardless of the circumstances.

For everyone involved, this is a tragedy.

Simon

[atyclb]

Drunken rage leading to violent crime. Retired at age 37 from navy.

Consistent with alcoholism with or without coexistent psychological disorder.

Many many alcoholics end up in prison. Sometime prison is the only thing that gets them sober.

[SanSaiExPat]

What a crazy story.

I googled his name and found this interview with him back when he played poker. A bit irrelevant but some people might be interested:

Actually, just watched all of it. It is relevant, the guys mad!

Agreed, one can short of a six pack.

Now to the police sympaphy.... the way I read it there were some sympathetic police reported, but I think what some have read as police excuses are actually them chasing motives. And the dodgy internet connection...well,... there have been times when I could have strangled my wife when she interupts my wrestling match with my computer coz it wont do what I want it to do. And all she has to say is 'what do you want for dinner honey/' HOW DARE SHE !!!

I think what we should also remember is there have been a lot of f.....ed up guys come outa Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan etc and just plopped back on the streets by their govts without any real debriefing/assessment rehab etc. to turn them from freaked out killers to normal civs.

Remember Timothy McVeigh???

Tim McVeigh....That's going back over 15 years. Is that the best you have to try to denigrate the USA with? There are currently over 1,500,000 active duty US personnel, not including almost 1,000,000 reserve personnel. As a percentage of the military population at large since 1995 I don't see that we have a world wide epidemic of blood thirsty rapes and murders being committed by US military personnel. I can't speak for the Air Force but the Navy, Marine Corp and the Army all debrief their personnel coming out of combat assignments contrary to your assertion.

Ok ok keep your shirt on. Phew, do you see what I mean. One mention of a name that connects with the Usa and you got hel_l on your doorstep. You have proved my point completely.

Goodnight.

I got my shirt on son and my pants zipped up too. What are you getting all "Phew-ed" up about? Does the interruption of a few facts and a little reality into your world make you need to lay down and take a nap? I've proved your point? How so? Because I took the time to respond to a gratuitous and unfounded attack on the US Military? Go back to sleep son it sounds like you need it. Didn't mean for you to get all "Phew-ed" up. Buy the way it's USA all caps.

[JJMayerich]

When I lose my interet connection, I feel the same rage! People in this country are from URANUS!

[Trouble]

What a crazy story.

I googled his name and found this interview with him back when he played poker. A bit irrelevant but some people might be interested:

Actually, just watched all of it. It is relevant, the guys mad!

Agreed, one can short of a six pack.

Now to the police sympaphy.... the way I read it there were some sympathetic police reported, but I think what some have read as police excuses are actually them chasing motives. And the dodgy internet connection...well,... there have been times when I could have strangled my wife when she interupts my wrestling match with my computer coz it wont do what I want it to do. And all she has to say is 'what do you want for dinner honey/' HOW DARE SHE !!!

I think what we should also remember is there have been a lot of f.....ed up guys come outa Nam, Iraq and Afghanistan etc and just plopped back on the streets by their govts without any real debriefing/assessment rehab etc. to turn them from freaked out killers to normal civs.

Remember Timothy McVeigh???

While it is true that many guys get fuc_ked up during wars, it should be remembered that the vast majority do not. This guy was apparently a Lieutenant in the Navy and served on a submarine. I would doubt that he saw any combat or war action at all. Original post says retired Lieutenant. Probably not correct as retirement requires 20 years unless he received some kind of disability retirement which is doubtful unless in his case he was mentally unfit. Probably did his 4 or so years and got out. Let's not assume his "military" background had anything to do with this murder. Actually he must have had something going for him at one time especially to get into the submarine service. They do psychological profiles on these guys to see if they can stay cooped up for long periods of time. Just watching that short video of his interview tells me this guy has an ego problem. Guess the poker playing did not pan out if he is living in Thailand on next to nothing (from reports). Lived in Thailand for 3 years if that is to be believed. How did this guy manage to stay in Thailand for three years under the Thai government tighter visa requirements?

A sad case as surely the guy did flip out for some reason. Unfortunately the bar girl was with him when it happened. He deserves what he gets!

[asiawatcher]

<br>so sad to see a Navy Officer come to this .  And now his kid lost his chance to be reunited with dad some day .<br>Strange he didn't dispose of the knife and clothes properly .  But I fail to see an accident in this story .<br>

<br><br>

I note Thai Visa has not fixed its internet glitches and this had to be heavily edited to remove code

If it were premeditated he would have disposed of the weapon. The telling tale is - 1) he was drunk when arrested - possibly since the murder 2) he seemed confused 3) circumstances surrounding the event were plausible - wife left him et al 4) his role in the navy was never explained.

In many cases of military personnel who have seen active duty - a rain drop can cause someone to snap.  This guy may well be the same. Can't see him as a serial offender and in this case - guilty he may be but maybe does not warrant transcripts from the first 5+ bloggers on the forum. Justice will be done for sure. Time will tell if he survives incarceration in the Thai system. I doubt it.

Edited July 19, 2010 by asiawatcher

[tonypace]

Contradictions:

1. Retired Navy Lieutenant: Not true. Born in 1973. Listed in 2000 (age 27) as LTJG on the crew of USS Nevada SSBN 733. From 2002 through 2005 a regular on the World Poker Tour. Check out Mad Yank's picture. This is not a Naval officer on leave. Of course that could have been the reporter's error. Came to Thailand three years ago. and stayed. Either he enlisted at age 14 and got into OCS immediately OR the Navy is now giving retirement pensions after only 15 years.

2. Mad Yank was a long time ago. Arbitrary at best. Mad Yank turned in his chips in 2006 just before coming to Thailand. Perhaps to some it was a long time ago, but why not say the same thing about being in the Navy. Because, despite the fact that the Army is so much in the news, the most respected military unit in Thailand is the Navy. Thai police are effectively a military unit and soldiers everywhere will show more sympathy to a fellow GI than to a civilian, even an enemy GI. His emphasis on his Navy career went a long way to softening up the cops. I am sure he initiated any dialog about being in the Navy despite its total lack of relevance. For the same reason, he played down his poker career. And it worked.

3. "It was a terrible accident..." and Santa Claus fills in for the Tooth Fairy in the off season. This man is on a bed with a hot number who has been with him at least most of the day, AND, he is holding an open knife. Who takes an open knife to bed with him? Not only does it have to be opened but it has to be locked open. Now, she comes on to him, which is why she brought him there in the first place. In response, he stabs her in the back. Now, having been cut, she quickly spins around and catches the second stroke in the front. Or did he change hands. Does either of those scenarios fit the description of an accident. Stab one, maybe. Stab two, also maybe. Stabs one and two? If you believe both of those were accidents, you probably spend your idle time in Iraq searching for weapons of mass destruction.

4. He will spend the rest of his life in a Thai prison. Probably not. The judge is not bound by that consideration. If the judge concludes that he pulled a shuck and jive on the police, he still has the power to send the boy down the road. Also, if the police support Fanelli, and the judge backs it up, he could be reduced to 12 years of hard time, possibly some where in the USA. My take: his confession will reduce his time.

[LingLek]

This man saw the bar girl as something less than he was, and the murder was a show of power -

And you know of this because... ?

The guy is clearly mentally unstable and may just have snapped when she demanded paying.

and your particular spin on it is more accurate?

it certainly demeans and dehumanises the deceased

Excellent rejoinder. All the other maudlin (and dare one say it: self-incriminating) comment should take note.

[ryladie99]

<br>Why do the Thai Police pity this self confessed murderer?<br><br>He has committed murder and should be treated the same as any Thai that commits the same crime at home. Using the intoxication and stress excuses really don't wash - he was ex military and as such should have known his own limits both physically (in terms of consumption, presumably having ample time to drink in the service) and mentally.<br><br>Some men do get violent when they are under extreme stress and drunk, but the smart ones know not to drink more than a few small bottles when this is the case.<br><br>I sincerely hope that this man does life, and suffers for what he has done. This man saw the bar girl as something less than he was, and the murder was a show of power - let the hand of justice now show its full power in return.<br>

<br><br>Good point and Does this man try to sell his life story to Bollywood?? <br>Amazing amazing and amazing story...... in my personal opinion it happened only in Thailand???<br>

[RKASA]

This is a really sad case. I'm not siding with the 'hang him high' brigade because it seems that his own situation (wife and baby son leaving him, no money etc etc), pushed him too far and he cracked. No sane person would do what he did to that woman, regardless of the circumstances.

For everyone involved, this is a tragedy.

Simon

Sorry not feeling sorry here - you can site 1000 reasons and not find one excuse among them. I believe in the charge of guilty by reason of insanity - after all - anyone that kills like this is a nut case to begin with. :jap: Vary Vary long sentence like life. I don't except the death penalty, why should his nightmare end.

[Beetlejuice]

I watched the video and thought he came across as a bit of an eccentric but saying he is mad is over the top.

These girls can play havoc with men's emotions, best

to stay away from them and not get involved. This is not the first time this

has happened in Thailand and probably will not be the last.

Edited July 19, 2010 by Beetlejuice

[candy2nd]

This is terrible!... How can someone just kill somebody like he just killed a chicken to fry? People like these are abnormal, psychopaths... you just don't kill a person no matter what!

[Tracechain]

Regardless of where this nut is from, he needs to be locked away or better yet, served up an aces and eights hand.

[kimamey]

For those who scoff at the insidious effects of internet addiction; it was never was claimed to be the motive here but may be construed as a contributing factor or the 'straw that broke the proverbial...' Everyone has a tipping point.

How many TV'ers have blown a fuse when their internet goes wonky? Be honest now, or should we ask your partners for their opinion?

I was thinking this myself. I don't know anything about the guy like did he have many friends he could talk to and could he speak Thai. If his main contacts were via internet then losing it would isolate him a lot so it's more losing that contact because he lost the internet rather than the internet loss itself. It's no excuse of course but with the stress of his relationship problems and possibly lack of understanding of his feelings by this girl the internet loss could be that straw as you say.

Very sad for all concerned.