The elder sister of the murderer known as “Dismemberment Preaw” is seeking a lighter jail sentence for her sibling, who was convicted yesterday of strangling a Khon Kaen karaoke bar girl to death then dismembering her body in May 2017.
Prapasiri Somsri, who spoke to media after yesterday’s ruling, said she will appeal the case on behalf of her sister Preeyanuch “Preaw” Nonwangchai, 25, who led three of her friends to attack bar girl Warisara Klinjui, 22. The incident ended with Preaw strangling the girl to death before dismembering her body and disposing of it at a resort in Thailand’s northeast.
After months of conjecture that Preeyanuch might face the death penalty, the court yesterday ruled that the murder was not premeditated and sentenced her to lifetime imprisonment. The punishment was then reduced to 34 years and 6 months thanks to Preeyanuch’s cooperation with authorities.
READ: Khon Kaen bar girl’s murderers get from 23 to 34 years in prison
In a rare public statement, the elder sister told reporters outside Khon Kaen Provincial Court that the family is pleased that a charge of premeditated murder had been ruled out.
“You’re not in our place. You don’t know know how hard it has been. You attack a family when you don’t even know the truth,” Prapasiri said through tears.
The big sister felt that the court’s ruling was proof that her sister had no intention to murder the victim and that she had been unfairly cast as a “violent” person by the media.
“Today, I’d like you to know that she [Preeyanuch] wasn’t convicted of premeditated murder. She’s not violent as the news has projected her to be in the past year. I’d like society to give her a chance to have a new beginning.”
Of course, a “new beginning” won’t be in the cards for the 22-year-old girl that Preeyanuch and her friends murdered.
The victim’s family left court yesterday without giving any comments to the assembled press.
On social media, many of those following the case expressed their disappointment at what they considered a too-light ruling by the court. Said one netizen: Keeping Preeyanuch alive is a “waste of the prison’s rice.”
Related:
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Bar girl murder suspects confess, Preaw says no intention of killing victim
Bar girl murder suspect Preaw on run in Myanmar, lavish lifestyle displayed on Facebook (PHOTOS)
Dismembered Khon Kaen bar girl was police drug snitch, says one suspect
