Man confesses to killing wife after hiding body in Lopburi

A 58 year old man in Lopburi confessed to the murder of his wife, after nearly a year of deceitfully pretending to search for her.

The case came to light when the man’s behaviour raised suspicions among the police, leading to the discovery of his wife’s buried remains next to their home in Lopburi Province.

The victim’s 44 year old brother Sekson reported to Koktum Police Station on Wednesday that his 47 year old sister, Sunanta had been missing since August 1 last year. The police initiated an investigation at the residence of the missing woman and her husband in the area leading to Nong Tham Temple.

Upon their arrival, they encountered the missing woman’s husband, Paiboon, whose suspicious actions included attempting to flee from the authorities. After a lengthy interrogation lasting over three hours, he admitted to killing Sunanta and burying her body beside their house. The murder occurred on August 1 last year, meaning the body had been concealed for almost eight months.

The police chief of Koktum Station, along with forensic officials and volunteers from a local foundation, were called to the scene. Guided by Paiboon, they unearthed the grave, approximately 80 centimetres wide and 1 metre deep. After about 15 minutes, they discovered a sack containing the decomposed remains of Sunanta, reduced to a skeleton with only small pieces of tissue attached. The skull showed multiple fractures.

Confession

Paiboon revealed a troubled history with relationships, having had four previous wives and bringing a significant amount of money from those marriages to live with Sunanta for over two years.

The couple had no children, and their relationship had soured due to Sunanta’s descent into alcohol and drug abuse, which often led to arguments. On the day of the murder following a heated dispute where Sunanta threatened to leave him for another man and attacked him with a knife and a sickle, Paiboon bludgeoned her with a hammer in a fit of rage.

After the murder, Paiboon created an elaborate ruse to cover up the crime. He buried the body and pretended to look for his missing wife, even going as far as to regularly visit the burial site late at night, feigning grief by drinking and eating over her grave, reported KhaoSod.

This charade continued undetected for months until his brother-in-law grew suspicious of his late-night visits to the grave, which included pouring liquor and placing food on the ground as if in mourning. This behaviour eventually led to the police being alerted and the gruesome truth being uncovered.