A 17-year-old girl whose body was discovered inside a suitcase in Thailand died from suffocation, according to the latest findings from authorities.
Police in Pattaya previously said they found the naked body of Tunchanok Donhomla inside a bag near a railway track in the early hours of June 27.
The discovery was made about 15 minutes after police arrested 45-year-old Australian national Simon Peter Carman, who was allegedly preparing to leave the country.
Pattaya City police chief Anek Srathongyoo told the BBC on Wednesday that an autopsy had determined that Tunchanok died from suffocation.
“She also suffered some brain injury, but that was not the cause of death,” he said, adding that the injuries could have occurred after her death while her body was being moved and placed inside the suitcase.
Anek also revealed that DNA recovered from Tunchanok’s body matched Carman’s, although he believed the DNA may have been transferred when the suspect placed her body inside the suitcase.
Police are pursuing four charges against Carman, including murder, concealing or moving a body, kidnapping a person aged over 15 but under 18, and taking a person in the same age group away for an indecent act.
Anek said Carman initially did not completely deny the allegations and admitted to taking Tunchanok out.
He added that police had gathered sufficient evidence and were confident they had addressed potential gaps in the case before submitting it to prosecutors.
Police are expected to submit the investigation papers to prosecutors by Friday, with the deadline for indicting Carman set for September 18.
Previously released CCTV footage allegedly showed Carman entering a condominium with Tunchanok at around 3.34am on June 25. Later that day, he was reportedly seen leaving the building alone while carrying a large suitcase.
Police said he then placed the suitcase on a motorcycle and travelled towards a railway line.
Following his arrest, Carman denied the charges and claimed he had acted in self-defence.
He reportedly told police that he had agreed to pay Tunchanok 1,000 baht (about US$30) for sexual services, but the pair argued after returning to his apartment when he offered her only 500 baht.
In a video recorded while in custody, Carman expressed regret to Tunchanok’s family, saying he felt sorry for what had happened and described it as being beyond his control.
Tunchanok’s family previously told ABC that she was their only child and lived with her father and stepmother in Kalasin province, about 480km northeast of Pattaya.
The teenager, known by her nickname Cake, had told her parents she wanted to go on holiday with a friend before travelling to Pattaya on June 16.
Her father, Thongchai Donhomla, said he was devastated by his daughter’s death and recalled how she would find ways to get what she needed while also helping him.
Her stepmother, Oradee Bussarakum, said the family had feared something might have happened to Tunchanok but hoped their worst fears would not come true.
She expressed anger over the teenager’s death and called for the harshest possible punishment against Carman.
If convicted of murder, Carman could face the death penalty.
