19-4-2024 (LONDON) The investigation into the brutal murder of Kamonnan “Angela” Thiamphanit, a young Thai woman found stabbed to death in the British capital, has taken a dramatic turn as authorities believe the suspect linked to the horrific crime has fled abroad, according to UK media reports.
The shocking revelation comes amid the disclosure that Kamonnan, 27, had been planning to fly back to her native Thailand to visit her family in Ratchaburi province, only to inexplicably cancel the trip shortly before her untimely demise.
Kamonnan’s lifeless body was discovered on the morning of April 8 at an Airbnb property she had been renting in the affluent Hyde Park neighbourhood of central London. The grim discovery came after a friend had alerted police the previous night, expressing concerns over her well-being, while neighbours reported hearing blood-curdling screams emanating from the address.
Holding dual Chinese-Hong Kong and Thai nationality, Kamonnan had been working in London’s property management sector after relocating to the UK eight years ago to pursue a degree in graphic design at the prestigious London College of Communication, according to a report by The Times.
Alarmingly, investigators believe Kamonnan’s attacker was someone known to her, a chilling detail revealed during an inquest into her death held earlier this week.
The inquest further divulged that Kamonnan had been renting out the £4-million property at 6 Stanhope Place, a former residence of the Embassy of Ethiopia, as an Airbnb listing. Detective Chief Inspector Alison Foxwell, the senior investigating officer in the case, informed Westminster Coroners Court on Tuesday, “At some point on April 8, she was attacked, which caused her death. We have a named individual we are looking for at this moment.”
However, when questioned by senior coroner Prof Fiona Wilcox about the prospect of an imminent arrest and murder charge, DCI Foxwell delivered a startling revelation: the suspect had since fled the country.
“I think it unlikely anyone will be imminently charged. We are requesting with the CPS (Crown Prosecution Service) whether we have sufficient evidence to extradite someone from outside the UK, so I think it unlikely,” DCI Foxwell stated, underscoring the complexities of pursuing an international manhunt.
Prof Wilcox granted permission for Kamonnan’s body to be released to her grieving family, as the inquest confirmed her identity through police fingerprint screening and attributed her death to “multiple sharp force injuries”.
Kamonnan’s cousin, Nutcha Tiempanich, 28, shed light on the circumstances surrounding her ill-fated plans to return to Thailand. In a conversation on March 31, the two cousins had finalised arrangements for Kamonnan to travel home for the Qing Ming festival, a Chinese celebration honouring the departed. However, Kamonnan abruptly cancelled the trip at the last minute, The Times reported.
Contradicting statements made by police at the inquest, Ms Nutcha revealed that Kamonnan had been in a relationship, although she had not detected any signs of distress during their final conversation.
“We talked about the day the whole family would meet in a Chinese cemetery [for] the festival. Angela said she was ready to book the ticket, but she could not make it,” Ms Nutcha was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
“We are shocked. We did not believe the news when we heard [she had died]. It happened so suddenly. We spoke only days before she passed.”
Kamonnan had maintained a routine of travelling between Hong Kong and Thailand to visit her parents several times a year, with her last visit to Ratchaburi taking place in February. Ms Nutcha affirmed that her cousin had exhibited no outward signs of turmoil during that visit.
“She came home in February. She was normal. I know she now has a boyfriend but did not say much about him,” Kamonnan’s cousin added, shedding light on a relationship that may hold crucial clues to the ongoing investigation.
