Third Thai National Arrested in Death of Australian Luke Mitchell

 

PHUKET – A third man( Teparat Tepsut) has been arrested over the death of ”good Samaritan” Luke Mitchell, the arrest was made in Phuket by the Royal Thai Police on Tuesday.

Mr Mitchell, 29, was stabbed to death by a group of men after a night out on the popular Sydney Road night-life strip in Brunswick on May 24, 2009. He died in hospital. Mr Mitchell was stabbed near where he allegedly stepped in to break up a fight outside a nightclub.

Australian homicide squad detectives have been notified of the development, involving a 31-year-old Thai national who was arrested in Phuket.

Police say they are working with the Attorney-General’s department and the Office of Public Prosecutions on the extradition of the 31-year-old.

A spokesman for the Attorney-General’s department said Australia had made a request for the Thai national’s provisional arrest pending extradition.

“The man is wanted to face prosecution in Australia for murder and related offenses,”

Two other men, Thatiya Terdputham, 39, and Sarud Seehaverachart, 31, have already been arrested in Thailand by Thai authorities. They have been extradited to Australia where they remain in custody, each charged with one count of murder.

Both men flew to Thailand just days after Mr Mitchell’s death. Mr Terdputham was extradited to Melbourne in September 2013 while Mr Seehaverachart was extradited in January 2014.

A spokesman for the attorney-general’s department said the man was wanted in Australia for murder and related offenses.

‘‘As the matter is now before the Thai courts it would not be appropriate to comment further,’’ the spokesman said in a statement.