Suspect in the Murder of Chiang Mai Millionairess Captured

Police have arrested the prime suspect in the murder of a millionairess whose body was found in a refrigerator in Chiang Mai. Mr. Withun Sitabut was captured while while riding an unlicensed motorcycle in Nakhon Sawan province.

Crime Suppression Division police detained Withun Sitabut around 2pm on Thursday, the Bangkok Post reported.

Mr. Withun, was wanted on an arrest warrant on charges of robbery resulting in the death of Ms Wannee Jiracharoenying in Chiang Mai.

Police seized 1.2 million baht cash and a 5-baht weight gold necklace found in his possession, and the motorcycle, as evidence.

CSD investigators initially learned that Mr Withun was heading for Kanchanaburi province. They also found out the suspect had spent 160,000 baht buying a motorcycle at a shop in Nakhon Pathom.

CSD chief sent a team to hunt him down

On Wednesday night, CSD police were told Mr Withun had travelled to Muang district of Kanchanaburi and then to Lao Khwan district of the western province. The suspect then took a road through Dan Chang district in Suphan Buri to Chai Nat, and then on to Nakhon Sawan, where he was caught on Thursday.

Ms Wannee, 58, a millionairess from Chiang Mai, was found dead by police on Sunday.Her body was stuffed into a refrigerator in a commercial building in Chiang Mai.

The woman’s hands and legs were bound and her body was placed in the fridge and covered with cement with the fridge still running.

Police said he first met the victim when he took her and a group of Buddhist nuns to a temple for dhamma practice in Chiang Mai. They later became friends and went shopping together.

The man was also filmed on a security camera using Wannee’s ATM card to withdraw money in Rayong’s Muang district. He was also caught on camera withdrawing cash from ATMs in Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Lampang before heading to Nakhon Sawan province.