Thai Man Gives up Extradition Fight for Murder of Luke Mitchell in Melbourne

Thatiya and Surad along with an alleged third co-accused – who remains at large – face charges of bashing and stabbing Mr Mitchell to death after he tried to save another man being assaulted outside a nightclub in northern Melbourne in May 2009.

 

BANGKOK – One of the three Thai men who fled Australia hours after a Good Samaritan was stabbed to death will return to Melbourne by the end of the year.

 

Thatiya Terdputham, who is one of two men charged with the murder of Luke Mitchell in Melbourne in 2009, was ordered to return almost two years ago. He has abandoned his fight against extradition to Australia, Channel Seven reported on Friday.

 

Mr Mitchell was stabbed five times by a group of men outside a 7-Eleven store at the corner of Brunswick Road and Royal Parade about 2am in May, 2009, as his sister-in-law and her friends watched.

 

Terdputham told a Bangkok court he wanted to return to prove his innocence.

 

 

Police will have 90 days to arrest him after he arrives in Australia

He was one of three attackers wanted in connection with the murder.

Sarud Seehaverachart who was also arrested in Thailand, is still fighting extradition, while the third man, is still wanted.

Both Terdputham and Seehaverachart have said they were acting in self-defence. Terdputham has said that the guilty person was still on the run.

The men had followed Mr Mitchell to the store after he broke up a fight in which they had been involved outside a nightclub about two blocks away.

Mr Mitchell’s brother, Shane Mitchell, told Channel Seven: “It’s been a long ride for us and it’s been a long, difficult ride but we’re pleased that [the case is] starting to move in the right direction.”