10 months later, no action to catch Bea’s murderer – Phuket

PHOTO: Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulo, wanted and believed to be living in Greece

“We are all in desperate need of some answers so that justice can be served for the family.”

It’s been over 10 months since the murder of a local Phuket beautician 43 year old Niramon ‘Bea’ Aewkaew. But her alleged Greek murderer Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulos remains on the run.

Back in March the Cherng Talay police said they were chasing an Interpol Red Notice so that they would have a better chance to track down and arrest the 42 year old Dimitrios.

Bea and ‘Dim’ were seen leaving their accommodation on February 11. It was the last time Bea would be seen alive.

Immigration police confirmed that Mr Chairopoulos was recorded as clearing immigration formalities at Phuket International Airport to board a flight to Dubai in the hours after Ms Niramon was last seen alive. He boarded an Emirates flight EK0379 to Dubai. Police also confirmed that he arrived in Dubai on the same day.

A request for a Red Notice was submitted with the Foreign Affairs Division of the Royal Thai Police on February 19 but, for now, no formal international’s notice has been published..

At the time Chief Col Sen Kwannimit of the Cherng Talay Police confirmed “If he comes back to Thailand he will be arrested.”

But since The Thaiger’s story in March there has been no advance in the case. A Greek man has come to Phuket, had a relationship with a Thai woman, allegedly murdered her, flown out of the country and vanished. The family are left with no response from Thai authorities about any advances in the case.

Rick Muller, the owner of a major pool company in Phuket, has lived in Phuket for 16 years and was married to Bea for 10 of those years. The couple had an 8 year old daughter who now lives with Rick fulltime.

Rick was at the scene when they found Bea’s body.

“We are all in desperate need of some answers so that justice can be served for the family. The prosecutor in charge of the case said he was in constant contact with the family however there has been no communication or updates provided.”

February 16, 2019

‘Dim’ was seen leaving the room at a guesthouse in Bang Tao where Ms Niramon’s body was found on Saturday, February 16, 2019.

In the days leading up to her murder her family had been desperately trying to contact her.

‘Bea’ was the eldest of 5 children from Phatthalung province and had been working in Phuket as a beautician at the time.

One of her sisters, May’ was contacted on February 15 by one of Bea’s workmates trying to locate her.

Neither May or Bea’s other sisters, relatives or friends were able to contact her. Bea had just moved to a new house so nobody knew where she was living. Another sister, Pichy, spoke to friends and was able, using Google Maps, to locate the guesthouse she was staying.

The owner of the room told the family that the air-conditioning was on in the room but there was no response. When the owner returned with a key he informed the family that Bea was found on the bed with a black cloth stuffed in her mouth and her hands and feet bound.

CCTV footage shows the couple leaving the room in the afternoon of February 11, the last time that Bea was seen alive.

What we know about the alleged murderer?

Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulos, who remains at large and thought to be in Greece, worked as security in a night club in Athens. He already had a daughter to another woman in Greece.

During his relationship and marriage with Bea he was said to be ‘controlling’ and ‘jealous’ by members of Bea’s family. A close family friend told The Thaiger that the family had concerns for Bea’s safety and were ‘uncomfortable’ with her ongoing relationship and marriage with Dim.

“We tried to get to know him at family functions but he was not easy to know and seemed very possessive of Bea,” said one of the close family members who asked not to be named.

“He did threaten to kill her if she ever left him and Oh, another of her sisters, went with Bea to file a report of the threats at the Cherng Talay police station at the time,” they explained.

That report was made to police in 2016. A year later the pair married and were still married at the time of the murder.

“He would drive past the beauty shops that Bea worked at and spy on her.”

The family claim that, apart from his own possessions, he also stole Bea’s phone before he headed to the Phuket International Airport on the evening of the murder.

So where is Dimitrios Chairopoulo?

At this stage the Greek Embassy has made no comment about the case or followed up with Greek Police about the pursuit for the fugitive man.

There are currently approximately 58,000 valid Red Notices worldwide of which only 7,000 are public. An Interpol Red Notice has not been issued to alert international police or Immigration officials to be on the look-out for Dim.

For now, the alleged murderer of Bea – an innocent Phuket beautician, beloved sister and family member – remains at large, most probably in Greece.

If anyone has any information about Dimitrios ‘Dim’ Chairopoulo’s whereabouts or information that may lead police to arrest him, please send a confidential message to The Thaiger.