Police are investigating whether a pharmacist in the western province of Ratchaburi is linked to the deaths of 11 people poisoned with cyanide as their suspected killer was denied bail.
Gen. Surachate Hakparn told reporters that the pharmacy is owned by the older sister of Sararat “Am” Rangsiwuthaporn, the suspected serial killer now accused of poisoning 13 people since 2020, 11 of whom died. They believe the pharmacy supplied the poison used in the murders, and police are investigating whether the sister is involved.
Police searched the pharmacy and found suspicious capsules the sister said were medicine for COVID.
Sararat was denied bail by the court, which cited her flight risk.
Sararat was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of the 11 deaths. Investigators said the woman, the former wife of a senior police officer, did it for money. Most of the victims were women who police said had given Sararat large sums of money. One was another ex-husband of Sararat’s.
The police also said there was a 12th victim who survived an apparent poisoning attempt who was identified as another policeman’s wife. She was said to have become nauseous after Sararat gave her some medicine to treat her COVID-19 symptoms. Another survivor, the 13th known victim, lives in Khon Kaen province.
Autopsies performed on the bodies found traces of cyanide in each victim.
Suspicion first arose after Siriporn Khanwong, a friend of Sararat’s, died two weeks ago in Ratchaburi province while making merit by releasing fish into the Mae Klong River. Her family was suspicious of Sararat, and an autopsy found cyanide in Siriporn’s body.
After questioning the suspect, investigators linked her to other cyanide poisoning cases in Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Pathom provinces.
Sararat is currently detained at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution.
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