Police in central Thailand’s Prachin Buri Province are hunting for the killer of a soldier who was gunned down at a resort just a day after winning 3rd prize in the state lottery.
On August 17, Pol. Lt. Chaturon Songkhwan, an investigator at Kabin Buri Police Station, Prachin Buri Province, received a report that a sergeant major had been shot dead at a resort in Village 1, Nong Ki Subdistrict, Kabin Buri District, Prachin Buri Province.
After receiving the report, he traveled to inspect the scene along with Pol. Lt. Col. Rungkrit Rakchat, Deputy Chief of Investigation, and the investigation team from Kabin Buri Police Station.
At the scene in the middle of the hotel’s parking lot, they found the body of a man lying face down, shirtless, wearing black shorts.
The deceased was identified as Sergeant Major Seri Maneechote, 36, a Khao Hin Son Development Unit soldier from Phanom Sarakham District, Chachoengsao Province.
A black Isuzu MU-X SUV that belonged to the resort owner was not far from the deceased. In the SUV, they found 2 pieces of blood-stained tissue paper on the driver’s footrest. Police also found the Mercedes Benz C180 that belonged to the deceased that was still parked in the resort parking lot not far from the victims body.
Upon surveying the scene, police officers found the resort’s CCTV camera removed and tossed into the bushes. The camera’s memory card had also been removed.
Upon examination of the victim’s body, police said that the deceased was shot with an unknown type of gun, once under the left ear and once above the left breast.
In the deceased right hand was a piece of cloth similar to a shirt collar, which is believed to be the shirt of the perpetrator.
The resort’s caretaker said he was outside and heard 2 gunshots. He then went to look and found the man dead on the ground. He then immediately called the police.
Ms. Chompoonuch, 67 years old, the mother of the deceased, who traveled to see her son’s body, told Thai media that her son won the 3rd prize in the government lottery.
He transferred money to her upon receiving his prize and had no idea who would do such a heinous act.
She said some of his friends had come to visit her son on the day he had won the lottery. She said her son spoke with them briefly before they left in somewhat of a hurry.
Police are now hunting for the friends who visited the victim for questioning. Police said the investigation is ongoing, and they were examining CCTV footage from around the resort area.
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