Russian murder suspect arrested in Pattaya

A Russian man who fled to Thailand to escape murder charges was tracked down and arrested in Pattaya. Immigration Police worked together with the Russian Embassy in Thailand to coordinate in locating the man and taking him into custody. Now the process has begun to extradite him to Russia to face charges.

Igor Guzhin had a warrant issued for his arrest on October 11, 2019, by the court of the Russian city of Samara, accused of the contract murder of someone. But he has been living as a free man for the last three years in Thailand. The deputy commissioner of the Immigration Police Bureau confirmed that the man was recorded entering Thailand on December 2, 2019.

According to Bangkok Post, immigration police determined that the man had been living in Pattaya. They tracked him down to the Bang Lamung district and confirmed that he was living in tambon Nong Prue at Moo 12. The Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest and on Saturday immigration police tracked the 51 year old Russian murder suspect down at Jomtien Beach in Pattaya and took him into custody.

The Immigration Police Bureau deputy commissioner explained that the warrant was issued as a culmination of cooperation between the Russian Embassy and the Foreign Ministry. He said that the Russian Embassy had contacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and requested help from the Thai police to capture the Russian man accused of murder and bring him to justice.

Now that the man is in custody, legal procedures have begun for the extradition process back to Russia where he will face charges for the contract murder. If convicted, the Russian man could be given a range of possible sentencing. Lesser charges could incur a jail sentence between eight and 20 years. But full punishment could include spending the rest of his life in prison or even the death penalty.