37 Million Baht Reward Offered For Murderer

[sriracha john]

$1 million reward

US authorities are offering a US$1-million (Bt37 million) reward for information leading to the arrest of a Thai-American man wanted for the murder of his pregnant wife nine years ago and who is believed to be in Thailand.

The man was identified as Saner Wongkuan, a former US Air Force first sergeant who is suspected of murdering his pregnant wife in the US in 1997. He is also wanted for abandoning his military service after the murder.

The US embassy will release detailed information about the suspect at a press conference today.

Thai police have tried to locate the suspect in coordination with US officials in Thailand but without success.

- The Nation

[sriracha john]

Rather intriguing that no other references are found, on various Net searches, regarding the history of this case or the person being sought...

[PhilHarries]

A million US for a murder? There's more to this than they're letting on, methinks it's got more to do with him skipping his military service.

[ilyushin]

Premeditated double homicide, international flight, AWOL, plus more.

Edited October 27, 2006 by ilyushin

[sriracha john]

A million US for a murder? There's more to this than they're letting on, methinks it's got more to do with him skipping his military service.

I agree there is certainly more to this story, but I seriously doubt that it's his AWOL status. As former U.S. military, people running away was not that big a deal and not much pursuit was done to find them... certainly not a huge reward was ever offered.

Wonder just what this is all about???

It'll be interesting what the press conference reveals later today.

Edited October 27, 2006 by sriracha john

[kmart]

Try looking in the monasteries. That's where most of those "fled the scene" heroic humanitarian types end up.

[silverhawk_usa]

U.S. law enforcement does not generally offer rewards in criminal cases to the best of my knowledge. Rewards are usually put up by private individuals through the police, if at all. Of course, the exceptions are the rewards now offered for terrorists, but this info is suspicious to say the least.

[ilyushin]

U.S. law enforcement does not generally offer rewards in criminal cases to the best of my knowledge. Rewards are usually put up by private individuals through the police, if at all. Of course, the exceptions are the rewards now offered for terrorists, but this info is suspicious to say the least.

Several agencies actually offer rewards like FBI, ICE and US Marshals

[sriracha john]

U.S. law enforcement does not generally offer rewards in criminal cases to the best of my knowledge. Rewards are usually put up by private individuals through the police, if at all. Of course, the exceptions are the rewards now offered for terrorists, but this info is suspicious to say the least.

Several agencies actually offer rewards like FBI, ICE and US Marshals

Interestingly, given the size of the reward that he doesn't show up on the "most wanted list" or even on the U.S. Marshalls "major cases list," which is quite lengthy, nor on the FBI's list. Several on there have much lesser amounts for a reward.

http://www.usmarshals.gov/investigations/m...ases/index.html

http://www.fbi.gov/wanted/topten/fugitives/fugitives.htm

Edited October 27, 2006 by sriracha john

[davidjtayler]

I wish I knew where he was ....

[PhilHarries]

Premeditated double homicide, international flight, AWOL, plus more.

IT's the "plus more" that's interesting.

Do they say whether he's wanted dead or alive?

[tropo]

Premeditated double homicide, international flight, AWOL, plus more.

IT's the "plus more" that's interesting.

Do they say whether he's wanted dead or alive?

It's weird looking to charge a man for AWOL after he's commited murder, like he should have turned up for duty.

[John K]

Must have been on "America’s most wanted" recently.

Edited October 27, 2006 by John K

[Maizefarmer]

Try looking in the monasteries. That's where most of those "fled the scene" heroic humanitarian types end up.

Funny you say that - because that is exactly where he was a few years back, and when the American authroties were approached then about his whereabouts, the snotty airforce investigator they sent to the Holiday on Silom to meet the informer turned his nose up at the person who offered to "assist" - and all he wanted then was a couple hundred thousand baht!!

"The guy thought I was having him on" said the informer, "I can hold my breath, lets see how long they can hold theirs!"

The missing guy is a former US Airforce enlisted guy. He has been missing few years - apparently most of them in Thailand. He ain't going to hang around now - and leaving it untill his Thai and USA passports have run out in the anticipation that it narrows his escape route, I doubt is going to do much to restrict his movements in this part of the world.

Tim

[sibeymai]

The report I read from the Bangkok Post cited the reward as USD 25,000 (THB 1,000,000). Sounds more like it.

[sriracha john]

yes, apparently there's some currency conversion and miscommunication with name spellings occuring.

Million-baht reward for US wife-killer

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) on Friday offered a 25,000-dollar reward for information leading to the arrest of a Thai-American suspected of murdering his pregnant wife 12 years ago.

"This is a priority case for the USA," said Robert Burkes, the FBI legal attache to the US Embassy in Bangkok. "We've been pursuing this man for 12 years."

Saner Wonggoun, 59, is on the USA's "most wanted US fugitive" list as the prime suspect in the murder of his wife Sopha Yodpet in California in January 1994.

Both Saner and Sopha, of Thai descent, were naturalized American citizens living in the USA at the time of the murder.

Saner, from Nakorn Nayok province in Thailand, moved to the USA when he was 21 and joined the US Air Force in the mid-1970s, rising to be a cargo supervisor at Travis Air Force Base, California.

Shortly after Sopha's body was discovered wrapped in a sleeping bag that had been dumped off Highway 1 in Marin County, California, Saner purchased a one-way ticket to Bangkok where he arrived on January 14, 1994, according to police records. Sopha was eight months pregnant when murdered.

Since his arrival in Thailand, Saner has gone missing, avoiding a joint Thai-US effort to track him down for the past 12 years.

"We're hoping the reward will offer a new opportunity to find him, after failing to do so for so many years," Police General Israphan Snitwongse, Thailand's deputy police chief, told a press conference.

The 25,000 dollars would be given to anyone in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos or Vietnam who can provide evidence leading to Saner's capture or prove his death, said Israphan. He noted that Saner may have acquired a new ID, undergone plastic surgery or joined the Buddhist monkhood.

"Saner can speak English fluently, like an American, so its possible he's working in the tourism industry," said Burkes.

- German Press Agency

[sriracha john]

Can't be up very high on FBI's priorities, despite what the agent says. The suspect doesn't show up on their fugitive lists or website at all.

He's certainly not on their "most wanted list."...

Imagine that, an FBI agent lying.

*edit*

excuse me, an FBI "legal attache"

Edited October 27, 2006 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Anyone seen this guy???

From the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations

Saner Wonggoun

Matter Investigated: Murder

Alias: Buck, Shorty

Race: Asian

Sex: Male

Height/Weight: 5'0" (150cm), 135 lbs (61kg)

Eyes/Hair: Black, Black

Scars/Distinguishing Features: 3.5cm scar on chin, scar on left wrist

Prior Occupation: Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, California

Last Known Location: Thailand

Hometowns: Nakon Nayok and Prachinburi, Thailand

Remarks: Wonggoun is wanted in connection with the murder of his wife who was 8 months pregnant. Wonggoun can speak English and has worked as an artist, gardener. May be residing / hiding in Thailand.

Age: 59 (as of Sept 2006)

Date of Birth: 22 Jan 1947

Place of Birth: Nakon Nayok, Thailand

Citizenship: Naturalized U.S. citizen

Last Base: Travis Air Force Base, Calif

Date of Desertion: 14 Jan 94

NCIC #: W786249308

You can help bring wanted fugitive Saner Wonggoun to justice. If you have any information on his whereabouts or activities, please contact the US Embassy Security Office at 02-205-4108, or Email [email protected]. Your identity will remain strictly confidential. Information leading to the apprehension and successful prosecution of Wonggoun may be worth up to US $25,000. Justice rewards everyone. *catchy phrase, eh?*

Age progression photographs of what Wonggoun may currently look like today at 59 years of age.

Edited October 27, 2006 by sriracha john

[sriracha john]

Wanted for: The murder of pregnant wife Sopha from a blow to the head. In 1990, the former US Air Force sergeant had said he suspected her of an having affair. On Jan 6, 1994, her body was found 80 km from the family home. He is believed to be in Thailand.

- The Straits Times (February 13, 2002)

-------------------------------

An exceptionally black, black heart

[sriracha john]

As maizefarmer pointed out, this is nothing new... with yet a different name spelling:

01 November 2004

The American FBI have finally brought the case of Thai-American Sanier Wonggoun to Thailand.

In brief, Sanier was a sergeant in the US Air Force. In January, 1994, investigators think he clubbed his wife Sopha to death in their home at Travis Air Force Base in California. Then he fled, and has lived in Thailand ever since.

The FBI had a meeting last week with their counterparts at the Thai Department of Special Investigations, and another with Crime Suppression Division police chief Major General (police) Winai Thongsong to bring them up to date.

The sad part is that the US and Thai authorities are not quite the good guys they portray themselves in the case.

Credit Sander Bertram for the renewed manhunt of this accused killer. He is the son of Sanier and has been single-handedly hunting the father he thinks killed his mother. Not until he got to Thailand and printed a wanted poster in a Thai newspaper did the FBI and others get into the hunt.

- newsean

--------------------------------------------------------------

The son has been at the forefront of getting his father caught for murdering his mother...

Intriguing, indeed...

[Maizefarmer]

To repeat what I said earlier - which in a way reinforces what the above contributor has said.

The Legat in Bkk isn't opne to miss an oppurtunity to blow "hot air" - they have done next to nothing to catch this guy over the last 12 years.

Through the USAAF Office of Special Investigations they had the oppurtunity about 4 or 5 years back to catch this guy - they were not prepeared to pay anything for the information - which at the time was less than a 1/4 of what is now been offered - somewhat "arse about face" that the Legat is now saying what he is saying!

You are quite right it's the son is very much the person motivating this matter - not the Legat or USAAF OSI!

Tim

[corkscrew]

The report I read from the Bangkok Post cited the reward as USD 25,000 (THB 1,000,000). Sounds more like it.

That is a more realistic number. Millions of $ are reserved for major terrorist players hiding out in northern Pakistan.

[corkscrew]

Anyone seen this guy???

From the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations

Saner Wonggoun

Matter Investigated: Murder

Alias: Buck, Shorty

Race: Asian

Sex: Male

Height/Weight: 5'0" (150cm), 135 lbs (61kg)

Eyes/Hair: Black, Black

Scars/Distinguishing Features: 3.5cm scar on chin, scar on left wrist

Prior Occupation: Sergeant, U.S. Air Force, California

Last Known Location: Thailand

Hometowns: Nakon Nayok and Prachinburi, Thailand

Remarks: Wonggoun is wanted in connection with the murder of his wife who was 8 months pregnant. Wonggoun can speak English and has worked as an artist, gardener. May be residing / hiding in Thailand.

Age: 59 (as of Sept 2006)

Date of Birth: 22 Jan 1947

Place of Birth: Nakon Nayok, Thailand

Citizenship: Naturalized U.S. citizen

Last Base: Travis Air Force Base, Calif

Date of Desertion: 14 Jan 94

NCIC #: W786249308

You can help bring wanted fugitive Saner Wonggoun to justice. If you have any information on his whereabouts or activities, please contact the US Embassy Security Office at 02-205-4108, or Email [email protected]. Your identity will remain strictly confidential. Information leading to the apprehension and successful prosecution of Wonggoun may be worth up to US $25,000. Justice rewards everyone. *catchy phrase, eh?*

Age progression photographs of what Wonggoun may currently look like today at 59 years of age.

Looks like every Tuk-tuk driver I have ever had...and every tout on Patpong.

[LaoPo]

The woman was found on January 6th, 1994

The suspect fled the USA on January 14th, 1994 with a one-way ticket to Thailand.

Now: why would he have waited 8 days to depart the USA and why wasn't he 'posted' on all airports/borders ?

Strange!

LaoPo

[Dakhar]

Yea, I was thinking he looked like every Tuk Tuk driver.... Hmmm, I am thinking this fellow is gone for sure.

[Maizefarmer]

My take on it is that he only legged it once he understood the heat was up – as is the case with many who commit that type of crime … they hang around feigning complete innocence in the anticipation that in so doing so they create the impression that they can’t possibly be guilty – and then when the alternatives for the cops start been narrowed down and the questions start getting closer to the bone, it's only then they cut their loses and run.

When did this happen – 1994 (Jan). 14 years ago.

Remember, he had been in the USA since he was a kid so he had few ties to Thailand and therefore few people he would tend to gravitate towards when he came here – he was for intents and purposes more or less free to blend in where ever he wanted to, and other than establishing contact with the few relatives he did have here (which he apparently did do briefly when he first returned), there has been no news from him since.

Easy to get a forged ID or a genuine one from someone else, easy to stay away from the few people who did know who he was, easy to change appearance if not only by way of natural aging then by way of surgery, and just as easy to cross regional borders – with or without id.

Much chance of finding now – naa, I would not have thought so. The Thai cops are not likely to be to concerned and certainly have enough on their plate without worrying about someone who hasn’t done anything to come to their attention locally in all the time he’s been back.

…… and “worst” of all, the one chance the Fed’s did get to get close to him a few years ago they turned their nose up to.

The one who has got away..... perhaps indeed.

Tim

[Tony Clifton]

Looks like every Tuk-tuk driver I have ever had...and every tout on Patpong.

Nah, this is how he'd look as a tuk-tuk driver.

[Maizefarmer]

BRONCO - can we have him in robes with an alms bowl - he spent some time as a monk apparently after the dirty dead - and may well still be one!

Tim

[lung]

$1 million reward

1 million baht or 25.000$

http://public.afosi.amc.af.mil/fugitive/wonggoun.asp

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/b...s.php?id=113823

Edited October 27, 2006 by lung

[Maizefarmer]

Got it

The AFOSI info has been their for donkeys years.....

In all honesty, the Fed's have done very little to pursue the matter actively. Maybe that is now changing.

Mmmmm ... could do with 25K

Tim