An Australian man faces charges of murder and concealing a corpse concerning a teenager’s death in eastern Thailand, police reported on Tuesday. The 17-year-old girl’s disappearance was reported on Friday. Police noted that security footage last showed her entering an apartment building in Pattaya with the suspect, Simon Peter Carman, about 150 kilometers east of Bangkok.
Later, Carman was seen leaving the building alone with a large suitcase. Security cameras captured him placing the suitcase on a motorcycle and heading towards a deserted area near the railway, as local police indicated. Authorities detained Carman early Saturday at a Bangkok airport before he could board a flight to Perth, Australia. He faced rape charges of a minor first. After arrest, the suitcase containing the girl’s body was found, leading to additional charges, according to police.
The premeditated murder charge carries a possible death penalty. Carman, who denies all charges, remains in custody and has been assigned a lawyer. Kanoknan Sooksri, an investigator with Pattaya Police handling the case, said it is currently unclear when Carman will appear in court.
Security footage shared by Thai media reports allegedly shows Carman holding the girl’s hand as they entered an elevator early Thursday morning, later showing him leaving alone that evening with a dark-colored suitcase. Another video circulating online shows Carman being interrogated by police.
"I was holding her because she went crazy," Carman stated to investigators in the video clip. He later claimed the girl threatened him while he attempted to give her 500 baht (15 dollars). "I had my wallet open to get the money, and suddenly, there was a knife pointed at me."
This story was translated from English by an AP editor using a generative AI tool.