Simon Carman: Victorian man arrested at Thailand airport after girl’s body found inside suitcase
An Australian man has been arrested in Thailand after the body of a teenage girl was found inside a suitcase.
An Australian man has been arrested in Thailand after the body of a teenage girl was found inside a suitcase.
Simon Carman, 45, was taken into custody at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport on Friday night, ABC reports.
The victim, identified as 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla, was reported missing by friends after she failed to return home.
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CCTV released by Thai authorities shows the 45-year-old Australian entering a hotel room with Ms Donhomla, before emerging hours later with a black suitcase.
After the teen was reported missing, authorities located her body inside a suitcase approximately 4.2km from the hotel.
Superintendent of the Pattaya City Police Station Police Colonel Anek Sarathongyu said Mr Carman had initially been charged with “taking a minor for the purpose of committing an indecent act.”
“We believe he killed her, and he is being questioned on suspicion of murder,” he said.
“He has fingernail scratches across his body that are consistent with a struggle, but he denies killing her.
“He said that she disappeared from the room while (he) was asleep and unaware of anything.”
The man claims to be innocent, local media reports.
He has not been charged with murder.
Investigations into the teen’s death remain ongoing.
Originally published on PerthNow
