PATTAYA, Thailand — Thai police have confirmed a chilling new detail in the case of a 17-year-old girl whose body was discovered inside a suitcase near railway tracks in Pattaya: an autopsy found that she died from suffocation.
The victim, Tunchanok Donhomla, affectionately known as “Cake,” was found dead in June after she was last seen entering a Pattaya condominium with Australian national Simon Peter Carman, 45. Carman has been charged in connection with her death and remains in police custody. He denies murdering her.
Pattaya City Police Station Superintendent Colonel Anek Srathongyoo told ABC News that the autopsy showed Tunchanok had suffered a brain injury and died from suffocation, with no other injuries identified as the cause of death.
Police also say DNA collected from Carman matched DNA found on the teenager’s body.
What happened in Pattaya?
According to police, Tunchanok was picked up near Pattaya Beach in the early hours of June 25. CCTV footage reportedly showed her entering a condominium with Carman.
Later that day, investigators say Carman was captured on camera leaving the building alone with a large black suitcase.
Police allege he then placed the suitcase on a motorcycle and travelled to a grassy area near a railway line. Tunchanok’s body was discovered there in the early hours of June 27, two days after she was last seen.
Carman was subsequently arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport as he was preparing to leave Thailand for Australia.
Suspect denies murder
Carman has been charged with multiple offences, including murder, concealing or moving a body, and taking a minor for sexual purposes.
Police have said Carman denied killing Tunchanok. According to ABC News, he told investigators that he acted in self-defence and alleged that the teenager had threatened him with a knife. Police also said he had scratches on his body that were consistent with a struggle.
Reports have also indicated that the pair had argued over money. ABC reported that Thai media had cited Carman as saying the two had agreed on a payment of 1,000 baht but later argued after he offered 500 baht instead. Police have not publicly disclosed all details surrounding the alleged confrontation.
Police say investigation is nearly complete
The latest autopsy finding could become a significant part of the prosecution’s case.
Colonel Anek told ABC that investigators believe they have collected the evidence needed for the case, including the alleged DNA match. Police expect to complete their investigation by August 21 and submit the case file to prosecutors.
Prosecutors have until September 18 to indict Carman, according to ABC News.
Under Thai law, a murder conviction can carry life imprisonment or the death penalty, depending on the circumstances and the court’s findings.
Family wants justice
Tunchanok’s death has devastated her family in Kalasin, where relatives remembered her as a cheerful and hardworking young woman.
Her father, Thongchai Donhomla, previously told ABC News that he wanted the legal process to take its course and said he would not trade his daughter’s dignity for compensation.
Friends and relatives remembered Tunchanok, known as Cake, as someone who smiled despite difficult circumstances. Her former teacher described her as a bright and good student. She had continued her education through a remote-learning programme while also working to help support her family.
Her body was later returned to her hometown, where hundreds of people attended her funeral and cremation.
A case that shocked Pattaya
The discovery of a teenager’s body inside a suitcase near a railway line shocked Pattaya, a major Thai tourist destination.
The case has attracted international attention because of the CCTV trail, the arrest of a foreign national at an international airport and the latest forensic finding establishing suffocation as the cause of death.
For now, however, Carman remains accused, not convicted. The final determination of his guilt will be made through Thailand’s judicial process.
With police preparing to hand the case to prosecutors, the investigation is now entering its next crucial stage — and the evidence gathered in the weeks since Tunchanok’s death could soon be tested in court.
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