Phuket Police suspect American died of drug overdose
Phuket Gazette

A variety of sleeping pills were found in the room. Photo: Gazette file

PHUKET: -- A 29-year-old American woman found dead in her bed shortly after checking into a Phuket rental room is suspected of having suffered from a drug overdose, said Chalong Police.

The woman was identified from her passport as Faetra Petillo, and family members have been notified of her death.

At the scene Ruamjai Foundation rescue workers, who were contacted by Chalong Police at about 9:45pm, found Ms Petillo on her bed, wearing only her underwear and a top.

“In addition to finding Ms Petillo’s body officers collected a variety of sleeping pills,” said Capt Thada Sodarak of the Chalong Police.

Police are continuing their investigation, he added.

Source: http://www.phuketgazette.net/phuket_news/2013/Phuket-Police-suspect-American-died-of-drug-overdose-20934.html


-- Phuket Gazette 2013-05-04

Very sad. I wonder if the story behind this suicide will ever become public.

RIP Ms Petillo.

Very sad. I wonder if the story behind this suicide will ever become public.

RIP Ms Petillo.

If she truly did commit suicide, and left no note, how would it become public?

Many, if not the majority of suicides, are never understood by the friends and family left behind.

Very said indeed.

So after so many days they still didn't do an autopsy? And an overdose can still be murder.

Anyone who didn't see the "suicide", or "drug overdose" ruling by the police hasn't lived in LOS more than a few weeks. And where are the photos of the actual sleeping pills they found in her room, showing the Pharmacy, what the drug is, and her name, all clearly printed in ENGLISH??

Just another "suicide" or "accidential drug overdose". Case solved.

You all want photos, complete details of the scene, autopsy reports, and the 'story behind the suicide'!

God, what a bunch of busy bodies. MYOB!

So after so many days they still didn't do an autopsy? And an overdose can still be murder.

Yes, you would think a toxicology report would be needed to confirm an official report of suicide.

So after so many days they still didn't do an autopsy? And an overdose can still be murder.

But it's illegal using drugs in Thai!!

Is it really possible to die in a few hours from a sleeping pill overdose?

You all want photos, complete details of the scene, autopsy reports, and the 'story behind the suicide'!

God, what a bunch of busy bodies. MYOB!

with only 364 posts, you either haven't lived very long in LOS, or you have, but never participated in TV before. If it's the former, those of us who have lived here for years know only too well the propensity of the BiB to rule "suicide" or "drug overdose", because it's much easier than doing an actual investigation into the case. So, in response to your comment, Yes, we would like to see what evidence the Keystone Cops base their ruling on.

Edited May 4, 201313 yr by Just1Voice

we will never hear the results, there in never a follow up story.

the two guys found sitting dead in a sukhumvit hotel, and the other two dead watching tv in a rangsit condo are proof of that.

given the limited info however, why suspect or even infer foul play was the case?

Edited May 4, 201313 yr by candypants

You all want photos, complete details of the scene, autopsy reports, and the 'story behind the suicide'!

God, what a bunch of busy bodies. MYOB!

It's just that CSI role-playing, and seeking and/or creating conspiracy theories in everything is all the rage here on TV.

You'll get used to it...

Very sad. I wonder if the story behind this suicide will ever become public.

RIP Ms Petillo.

Why? Are you some kind of voyeur? Let her rest in peace. Nothing to do with you.

Anyone who didn't see the "suicide", or "drug overdose" ruling by the police hasn't lived in LOS more than a few weeks. And where are the photos of the actual sleeping pills they found in her room, showing the Pharmacy, what the drug is, and her name, all clearly printed in ENGLISH??

Just another "suicide" or "accidential drug overdose". Case solved.

In The USA, on the average day, over 100 people commit suicide. The papers don't print picture of the guns, tablets, ropes, etc. It's nothing to do with you, so let the family deal with it. Sounds like you get some sort of perverse pleasure in knowing the exact details of how they died.

So after so many days they still didn't do an autopsy? And an overdose can still be murder.

But it's illegal using drugs in Thai!!

No it's not. Plenty of pharmacies sell drugs, and even doctors write prescriptions of drugs. Hospitals are full of drugs, as are bars, corner shops and cafes. All legal.

Is it really possible to die in a few hours from a sleeping pill overdose?

Yes.

Very sad. I wonder if the story behind this suicide will ever become public.

RIP Ms Petillo.

Why? Are you some kind of voyeur? Let her rest in peace. Nothing to do with you.

Just natural curiosity. No need for you to get so excited.

29 year old American woman... hours after checking in...commits suicide? Possible certainly...likely...Hmmmm.

....nonsense.....

If you look up the lady's name on Google, there are a few of her writings. She was young and good looking, well travelled, and apparently well off. Seems an unlikely profile for a suicide, alone, far from home. This looks like a case for that cool spiky haired CSI lady from Bangkok.

Not trying to make light of this at all. It's a tragedy.

R.I.P., and sincere condolences to her family and friends.

If you look up the lady's name on Google, there are a few of her writings. She was young and good looking, well travelled, and apparently well off. Seems an unlikely profile for a suicide, alone, far from home. This looks like a case for that cool spiky haired CSI lady from Bangkok.

Not trying to make light of this at all. It's a tragedy.

R.I.P., and sincere condolences to her family and friends.

So now you know the profile of people that commit suicide. Laughable.

In my life I have personally known 13 people who committed suicide. Every case was different. Every case was tragic, and hard on those left to carry the memory. Perhaps 'profile' was an unfortunate choice of words. But this case needs a deeper look.

I hear nobody laughing.

hub of suicide...so many people planning a dream vacation to come to kill themselves here ?

Very sad. I wonder if the story behind this suicide will ever become public.

RIP Ms Petillo.

Very doubtful.

It's a very sad news. May be it is a suicide or a drug overdose, we all get the answer after the full investigation by the local police. If htey shared it publically. I think if it is a suicide then there should be some evidence of it on the site. But if it is an overdose then doctor's should catch it first on the prior basis as it can be easily diagnoses by the experts. "RIP Petillo".

Dont worry, our budding Holmes's will have it figured out in no time! BUT it will include ladboys, gamblings debts and police cover ups!

You all want photos, complete details of the scene, autopsy reports, and the 'story behind the suicide'!

God, what a bunch of busy bodies. MYOB!

with only 364 posts, you either haven't lived very long in LOS, or you have, but never participated in TV before. If it's the former, those of us who have lived here for years know only too well the propensity of the BiB to rule "suicide" or "drug overdose", because it's much easier than doing an actual investigation into the case. So, in response to your comment, Yes, we would like to see what evidence the Keystone Cops base their ruling on.

I always laugh when somebody decides how much Thailand knowledge or experience a person has by the number of posts they've made at this forum. So what if the guy's made 360+ posts compared to another person's 1000 or 2000. The person with the higher number could be a complete idiot who can't really grasp what's happening around him but loves to post, whereas the person with the lower number could be quite sharp but doesn't feel the need to reply or opine often. (Not saying that's the particular case here, BTW -- just an example.)

Also, anybody who's been around Thailand long enough and is familiar with the amount of information released by the BIB with regard to crimes against foreigners knows that virtually nothing of substance is given to the English language media, asking for such details shows some naivety.

Finally, are these press releases involving foreign deaths written by the same person for all the English "news" publications? Whether it's that horrible Pattaya One News, it's near-equally tacky friend the Pattaya Daily News or the Phuket Gazette, what the deceased was wearing is always included and is worded in derogatory way --- "...on her bed, wearing only her underwear and a top...". Uhhhh...its a really hot country and it's been hot as Hades lately, so why wouldn't I wear a minimum amount of clothes in the privacy of my own room. Have a lot of people here really not figured out that walking around one's house in a pair of shorts is a lot more comfortable than a <deleted>' tuxedo?

(BTW, notice that I have a low number of posts, but I assure you that my 12+ years living here and reading the so-called news sources has made me quite aware of the scene.)

Dont worry, our budding Holmes's will have it figured out in no time! BUT it will include ladboys, gamblings debts and police cover ups!

Or it could be bed bug spray or drinking mosquito coils, both of which are bad publicity for tourism here.

Remember the seven tourists that died in The Downtown Inn Chiang Mai - they tried to say it was just a "coincidence." Seriously????

Remember the Phi Phi Island deaths, particularly the Canadian sisters. Was anyone arrested for spiking their drink with mosquito repellant???

We all know how important the "image" of tourism is to Thailand and the lost of "face."

This girl very well may have committed suicide - tragic.

However, she very well may have died by misadventure, which is not murder, but still should be investigated to possibly stop other person dying the same way.

In the Chiang Mai case, if the death of the first person was properly investigated, it may have saved the other six people.

Whilst they try to protect the image of their tourism industry here, at all costs, I see no problem having some suspicion to all these BIB rulings of "suicide."