Crime
American Emily Potter 27, Found Dead at Koh Samui Resort
Ms. Potter appeared to have passed away while she was laying on a sofa on her room’s private balcony
KOH SAMUI – American Emily Potter has reportedly been found dead at a 5-star resort in Samui Island reported by the Samui police on June 25, 2014, 11.30 am.
The body of Emily Potter, 27, was found after hotel staff heard her boyfriend wailing and decided to inspect their hotel room, according to police reports.
The Samui Pol.Cpt. Udomsak said “We believe she had been dead for 2-3 hours before the staff found her”
Olan Chantho, a resort butler said that the couple, Emily Potter, 27 from the US and Jeffrey John Hanley, 29 from the UK were spending most of the time inside the villa.
A police search of the room turned up a small packet of cannabis, Viagra pills, a pair of handcuffs, a whip, an empty bottle of vodka, and a small packet containing what police suspect to be cocaine.
According to Olarn Chantho, a butler at the hotel, the couple checked in on 22 June and were supposed to check out on 27 June, but decided to extend their stay to 29 June “because they liked the atmosphere.” On the night before Ms. Potter was found dead, she was seen having dinner with Mr. Hanley at 7 pm before retiring to their bedroom later in the evening, Mr. Olarn said.
Mr. Olarn said Mr. Hanley called the front desk at 7 am the next morning and said he and his girlfriend would like to use the hotel’s spa room at 10 am. However, at 9.30 am some hotel guests heard Mr. Hanley’s screams, prompting hotel staff to check his room and find Ms. Potter’s body, Mr. Olarn said.
According to the police, Mr. Hanley said he and his girlfriend drank alcohol in their private swimming pool after dinner until they became heavily intoxicated and fell unconscious. When Mr. Hanley woke up on the next morning, he saw Ms. Potter sleeping on the sofa-bed and called Mr. Olarn to arrange the spa room for both of them, police say.
Mr. Hanley only realised that Ms. Potter was dead when he tried to wake her up, said Pol.Cpt. Udomsak. He said Mr. Hanley refused to give testimony about the substances police found in their hotel room.
Pol.Cpt. Udomsak said the police suspect that Ms. Potter died from an overdose of narcotics and binge-drinking. Ms. Potter’s body has been sent to Koh Samui Hospital for autopsy, and the US Embassy has already been contacted about her death, Pol.Cpt. Udomsak said.
Police say Mr. Hanley will be prosecuted if lab results reveal that he was using narcotics.
The body of Emily Potter was transported to Surat Thani Center Hospital for more information on the cause of death cause and authorities have informed the US Embassy. – Khaosod, MThai
