Minburi Provincial Court handed down the death sentence today to Dr. Nitiwadee Pucharoenyos, aka Mor Nim, for the planning and murder of her high-profile husband, sports star and national sharpshooter Jakkrit Panichpatikum, in 2013.
The 40-year-old doctor and Santi Thongsem, 30, a lawyer and Mor Nim’s co-conspirator, were both given death sentences for the planning and murder of Jakkrit.
The two were found guilty of hiring Jirasak Klinkhlai, 35, a hitman, to kill Jakkrit on Oct. 19, 2013. The national sharpshooter was shot to death as he sat in his sports car at a Bangkok intersection. His body was riddled with bullet wounds.
The motive for the murder was an alleged history of domestic abuse of Mor Nim by her sports star husband. According to her mother Surang Duangjinda, 74, Jakkrit had abused Mor Nim to the point of causing miscarriage of the couple’s third child and had threatened her with a gun, reported Bangkok Post.
Hitman Jirasak conspired with Tawatchai Phetchote, 35, who drove the getaway motorcycle used during the crime. Both men were sentenced to life in prison.
Surang had tried to take the blame for the murder, which she said she planned in order to protect her allegedly abused daughter, but over the course of the trial, there were many holes in her story and the court believed she was only trying to deflect blame from her daughter. She had all charges dismissed against her.
Everyone involved had pleaded not guilty and were all in the Minburi court today for the decision.
Despite getting a death sentence, Nitiwadee, who was free on THB500,000 bail during the trial, is seeking bail again and has offered an additional THB2 million in security.
Apparently, the Minburi court has forwarded the request to the Appeals Court and Mor Nim is being held while waiting for their decision.
