Updated below at 2:50 p.m. Oct. 28 – looking more and more like theft gone bad.
The body of a murdered 58-year-old woman was found in a fridge at a commercial building in Chom Thong yesterday, Oct. 27.
The body was discovered after locals smelled a rotting smell coming from the building near Wat Phra That Si Chom Thong in Ban Luang.
Upon inspection, the body of Mrs. Wannee Chira, a millionaire from Bangkok was found in the fridge. Concrete powder had been poured on the body to reduce smells but had failed to do so; the body was not entirely encased in cement as some English-language reports have claimed.
Mr. Chira is said to have purchased the building for several million baht 4-5 months ago and had been living by herself while practicing meditation and Dharma at the nearby Wat.
Notably, Mrs. Chira’s BMW was missing from the scene suggesting that it may have been taken by the person or persons behind the murder.
The body was taken to Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital for an autopsy and so as to ascertain the cause of death. While murder is presumed given where the body was found, the body, believed to have been in the fridge for 1-2 weeks was significantly decomposed.
A major investigation has been launched into the murder including the participation of Chiang Mai Provincial District 5 Police along with local police.
Update: the criminals behind the murder have been tracked. According to BrightTV, the deceased’s ATM card was used in Hot with the criminals driving to Chiang Rai where they used the card again. They eventually ended up in Suthep as the victim’s car was found abandoned near Chiang Mai University.
1.2 million baht is reported to have been drained from the victim’s bank accounts.
