Regional News
Bride-to-Be and Mother Killer Tasaphol Haekla Apprehended by Police
CHON BURI – Police on Sunday arrested Tasaphol Haekla who shot dead his bride-to-be and her mother in cold blood at a car modification shop in Chon Buri after a four-day manhunt.
The murder suspect identified as Tasaphol Haekla, 35, was apprehended 15 km from the Cambodian tourist town of Siem Reap, which is 100 km from the Thai border, said Pol Maj Gen Katcha Thatsart, commander of Chon Buri police station, said.
Pol Maj Gen Katcha said armed commandos and an arrest team from Samet Police Station searched Tasaphol’s house before they tracked him down and made the arrest in Cambodia.
The suspect is being escorted by police to Chon Buri for a re-enactment of the grisly murder that was caught on security camera.
The killing took place on Thursday at PS Modify Chon Buri garage in Muang district where the suspect gunned down Kewelin Hongthong, 28, who he was due to marry on Aug 28, and her mother Wimol Hongthong, 48.
Kewelin’s friend Kalayanat Namsuwan witnessed the shooting, which she said was the result of a dispute between the couple, owing to Tasaphol’s jealousy.
Ms Kalayanat said that her friend knew Tasaphol could be bad-tempered and carried a gun, so had asked she and her mother for help in resolving the dispute. Ms Kalayanat’s husband was also present at the time of the shooting.
Footage from the garage’s security camera showed the group had been talking for around 10 minutes when Tasaphol took out a gun and fired three times at Kewelin. Her mother tried to escape but was also shot three times.
Tasaphol apparently danced his way out of the scene, before briefly returning, saying something else and then walking out again.
Ms Kalayanat said Tasaphol showed no remorse before fleeing the scene, stating that anyone was “invited to be witness” to the crime.
Reports said the suspect had been jailed three times previously in firearms-related cases and had been out of prison for less than a year. He is also alleged to have been involved in drug abuse. – Bangkok Post
