CHIANG MAI -Police report the have arrested a 31-year-old suspect in the killing of a 21-year-old woman found strangled to death inside her home at a longan orchard in Nam Phrae subdistrict, Hang Dong, Chiang Mai.
Relatives of the woman allegedly rushed to Hang Dong Police Station, attempting to confront the suspect at the police station. Officers stepped in to prevent violence.
Police identified the victim as Ms. Yupa, also known as Praew, age 21. She worked as a PR hostess at a nightlife venue in Chiang Mai. Officers examined the scene on March 7, 2026, at a two-story home (half concrete, half wood) located in a longan orchard near the irrigation canal road in Nam Phrae Subdistrict, Hang Dong District.
Investigators found marks around her neck consistent with strangulation. Her pants had been removed, and police estimated she had been dead for about two days. Two mobile phones were reported missing. Officers also found a white LYN shoulder bag and the victim’s hat left outside the house.
A restaurant owner, who had last contacted her on March 5, became concerned after she did not show up for work on March 6. After going to her residence, the owner discovered the body and contacted the police. People close to her said she was well-known at work and had several male admirers.
According to the Chiang Mai Provincial police, detectives traced the suspect through evidence and witness statements. One key point was a timeline that did not match between the suspect and a delivery worker from a shipping company.
Police said that after the crime, a delivery arrived with cosmetics ordered by the victim. The shipment was cash on delivery, and officers said the suspect used 200 baht, taken from the victim’s bag, to pay for it.
Police said the suspect told investigators the victim had housing problems near her workplace, so she asked to stay at the house where the incident happened. The suspect reportedly lived at the property as a caretaker, looking after the home and garden for a monthly wage.
His girlfriend, who is related to the victim, was connected to the living arrangement. Police said the victim stayed upstairs, where the sliding door could not be locked. Before the incident, the suspect said he drank alcohol at a local shop he regularly visited.
After returning to the house and seeing the victim lying down, he said he had sexual urges. Police said he used a cloth to cover her face and then strangled her with a power cord from a hair straightener.
He told police that when he removed her pants, he noticed she was menstruating. At that point, police said he decided to make it look like a robbery. He reportedly damaged a doorknob, took cash from the victim, and later threw her bag outside the home.
Police also said that when officers first arrived to check the scene, the suspect acted like a helpful witness and did not show behavior that raised immediate suspicion.
Reporters at Hang Dong Police Station said that as officers escorted the suspect downstairs for questioning, the victim’s relatives tried to rush in and attack him. They said they were furious about the brutality of the killing, especially because the day the body was found, the suspect was seen standing nearby and appearing calm.
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