A man wanted over the fatal shooting of his girlfriend has committed suicide at the same house where the killing happened, in tambon Tha Wang, Muang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, ending a days-long manhunt, police said.
Officers from Muang Nakhon Si Thammarat police station were first called to the single-storey concrete house on the morning of August 7, after 34 year old Sudaporn was found dead on her bed, shot two to three times in the head.
Police initially could not confirm the type of firearm used, though spent cartridge cases were recovered beside the bed as evidence.
The man identified as the gunman, 33 year old Kittipat, known as Top, fled the scene on a motorcycle as police began searching for him. Investigators later confirmed the weapon was a 9mm pistol.
According to initial inquiries, Sudaporn and Kittipat had been dating for about a month before the shooting. Kittipat’s mother, who was in the house at the time, told police she heard two to three gunshots from the bedroom before her son rushed out and rode off on his motorcycle.
Neighbours said the couple had argued two to three days earlier but had otherwise seemed normal, and that gunshots were then heard on the morning of the shooting. Police said they had not established a motive at that stage and were negotiating with Kittipat’s relatives to persuade him to surrender.
Investigators later said they believed jealousy was behind the shooting, and suspected Kittipat had caught Sudaporn talking to another man on the phone.
Earlier today, Kittipat returned to the house, according to a Channel 7 News report. He found the front gate locked, with offerings that had been placed for Sudaporn laid out nearby.
Police said he is believed to have been under significant stress before he shot himself outside the house with the same gun. A spent cartridge case was found at the scene.
In similar news, a Thai college student has been charged with murder after fatally stabbing a Chinese man in Sattahip district, Chon Buri, on August 8.
Police said the accused, 20 year old Thanachot, found 20 year old Cao Ke in his girlfriend’s room and stabbed him during a struggle after an argument turned physical. The girlfriend was also injured, and Thanachot later surrendered to police after learning Cao had died.
If you or anyone you know is in emotional distress, please contact the Samaritans of Thailand 24-hour hotline: 02 713 6791 (English), 02 713 6793 (Thai), or the Thai Mental Health Hotline at 1323 (Thai). Please also contact your friends or relatives at this time if you have feelings of loneliness, stress, or depression. Seek help.
The story Man accused of killing girlfriend found dead days later as seen on Thaiger News.
