The murder of bar girl Warisara Klinju, 23, who worked in a karaoke bar in downtown Khon Kaen and whose body was found sawed in half, stuffed into garbage bags, and placed into plastic bins last Thursday, is getting more complicated.
It was reported last week that the young woman’s husband, contractor Sakchai Batthongdee, 35, was often working in other provinces and that, while he was away, she carried on a romantic affair with another woman. The victim’s mother, Sairung Klinjui, 42, also said that her daughter had a history of relationships with tomboy-like women.
It was originally assumed that the motive for the crime would have been related to jealousy over these relationships. However, one of the suspects that police have already picked up, Wasin Namprom, 22, said Warisara that was actually killed over giving the cops information related to drug dealing activities.
Wasin’s girlfriend Jirarat Promkun, 21, has also been picked up but denies involvement in the gruesome crime, saying that she only sold the victim’s valuables — an iPhone 6 and gold jewelry — for money, Nation TV reported.
There are also warrants out for: Preeyanuch Nonwangchai, 24, Kawita Ratchada, 25, and Apiwant Satayabundit, 28.
Police believed Apiwant, Preeyanuch, and Kawita have fled to Myanmar and are working with authorities there to find the women.
Wasin was picked up in Vientiane, Laos yesterday and taken into custody while Jidarat was arrested in Ubon Ratchathani.
Wasin pointed the finger at Preeyanuch, who used to work at the same karaoke bar as the victim. He said that she killed and dismembered the victim, claiming that he was only driving the car.
Wasin claimed that Preeyanuch wanted revenge on Warisara because she tipped the police off about drug dealing activities by the suspects that led to Preeyanuch’s husband’s imprisonment.
According to Wasin, on the day of the murder, he and Preeyanuch, Kawita and Jirarat rented a Honda CRV to pick the victim near her apartment in Khon Kaen, claiming they wanted to meet her to discuss a job offer. But after the victim got in the car, Preeyanuch strangled her to death. The four drove around Khon Kaen to buy equipment to destroy the evidence such as plastic bags and a saw to dismember the body.
After that, they rented a room at an unnamed hotel downtown. Wasin said that Preeyanuch was the person who also dismembered the body. They moved the parts back to the car in plastic bins and buried them in the forest three kilometers from Khao Suan Kwang district village, according to Kapook.
Sheets of iron were placed on the grave in a further attempt to obscure it. However, villagers passing by could smell the body and investigated, reported Bangkok Post.
A mysterious 3-minute Facebook Live clip posted at 4am on May 19 by suspect Preeyanuch, may or may not provide clues about the case. It is thought to have been taken before the murder. In it, the suspect appears to be taunting a sleeping man and woman. The man appears to be Wasin, another suspect. She sprinkles them with white powder that may or may not be drugs.
The couple stir briefly in the video but continue to sleep. The person making the video, assumed to be Preeyanuch since she posted it, then applies honey to the face of the sleeping man while laughing. In the creepy clip, she giggles maniacally without saying anything.
Preeyanuch also posted several photos of 90s horror doll Chucky, for reasons unknown. One photo shows her wearing a Chucky doll T-shirt.
Since the murder has become the talk of the town, netizens have been visiting Preeyanuch’s Facebook page, leaving comments calling her names such as “ psycho” and “murderer.”
