Three foreign tourists face up to 10 years in prison after being charged with recklessness causing the death of a Russian model.
Pol Lt Gen Amphon Buarapphon, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, yesterday revealed that American Smith Antwaun, 38, Jordanian Ahmad Alatoom, 28, and Russian Natalia Kosenkova, 35, were all charged with recklessness. If found guilty they all face 10 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 baht each.
Evgeniia Smirnova, a webcam performer and part-time model, plunged to her death from the 8th floor of The Emerald Terrace condominium on Phrabaramee Road, Patong sub district, Kathu district, on Tuesday, May 31.
Police were called to the scene of the incident at 4.20am that day and found the bloodied body of the 37 year old Russian at the base of a tree with a clump of hair in her hand.
Police inspected The Emerald Terrace condo premises and found evidence of alcohol consumption and activities of sex, including a used condom and condom wrappers both within the room and on the balcony area as well as the remnants of cannabis contained in a plastic bag.
The 3 foreigners originally refused to cooperate with the investigation other than to say the Russian woman was intoxicated when she climbed an outside staircase between the 7th and 8th floors.
One of the men, Ahmad Alatoom was arrested at a boarding gate of Phuket International Airport while attempting to fly home on the evening of the woman’s death.
Kosenkova, a model and DJ, who also worked as a dental assistant, earlier revealed she only met Smirnova on the night of the incident. The 35 year old denied their party involved sex and drugs, and says Smirnova’s death was an “unfortunate incident.”
“The case is not complicated because we are not guilty. It was not a murder, and none of the people involved are to blame.”
Pol Lt Gen Amphon revealed his investigation found that Smirnova was very drunk while in the company of the other 3 foreigners at the party. An autopsy found a very high alcohol level in her blood.
After reviewing existing evidence and witnesses’ accounts, police determined that all 4 foreigners had behaved recklessly, and the 3 arrested earlier for possession of marijuana were then charged with recklessness causing death.
Pol Lt Gen Amphon added that the police had not concluded their investigation and were still collecting evidence in case there were grounds for a murder charge. Detectives are looking for any sign of a dispute or physical assault among the foreigners.
Smirnova arrived in Phuket on May 25 and had been staying at another hotel in Patong on Soi Na Nai Ruam Jai 8.
SOURCE Bangkok News Daily Mail