Thai fishermen confess to Horton murder
KOH SAMUI: Two young Thai fishermen whose DNA matched that of semen samples taken from the body of murdered tourist Katherine Horton have confessed to raping and murdering her, police said today.
Ms Horton, a 21-year-old student from Wales, arrived on Samui with a fellow student on December 31, in time to celebrate New Year’s Eve there.
She was last seen going for a late night stroll on the evening of January 1. Her body was discovered at about 10 am the following morning, floating in shallow water at Lamai Beach.
Police identified her killers as Wichai “Loh” Somkhaoyai, 24 and Bualoi Kosit, 23.
Samui District Police Superintendent Pol Col Akom Saisamai told the Gazette that the two men confessed to raping Miss Horton and then beating her to death.
Police Region 8 Deputy Commissioner Pol Maj Gen Santhan Chayanont told the Gazette today that the two men would be charged with premeditated gang rape resulting in death, and attempting to conceal the body.
The charges are punishable by execution, though in Thailand such sentences are usually commuted to life imprisonment if the accused pleads guilty to the crime and expresses remorse for it.
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