Family of slain British teacher say authorities are not doing enough to catch suspect

The family of British teacher Gary Ferguson have called on Myanmar and British authorities to do more to catch the man suspected to have killed him.

“Our main objective is to catch Harris Binotti, the guy suspected of this. We want Interpol to get involved because it’s going very slow in Burma and we haven’t had much information from the foreign office or British embassy,” Gary’s brother Martin Ferguson told the Belfast Telegraph.

Myanmar police previously stated that they had already handed the case over to Interpol, though Binotti is not included in Interpol’s public database as a wanted individual.

Binotti and Ferguson were both teachers at the Horizon International School in Yangon.

In the early hours of November 5, Binotti’s neighbors said they heard screams and sounds of a scuffle coming from the apartment on 39^th Street, where Ferguson, Binotti and Binotti’s girlfriend Elsie Devolder were socializing after returning from a nearby bar.

On November 6, Ferguson’s body was discovered with head and chest injuries in Binotti’s flat. Binotti reportedly fled Myanmar for Thailand the day before. His whereabouts are now unknown.

A spokesperson from the UK Foreign Office told the BBC: “We are continuing to help and support the family of Mr Ferguson at this difficult time and are in contact with the Burmese authorities.”

Martin Ferguson told the Belfast Telegraph his family will be unable to grieve until his brother’s alleged killer is caught.

“We’re still in a lot of pain and shock. For us, we want to get to a place where we can start mourning the loss. But with this guy still on the run and still enjoying his freedom, that for us is just too hard to handle.”

Gary Ferguson is remembered by his loved ones for his love of education, music and travel. 

He is survived by his mother, brother, two sisters, his wife and his four-year-old son.