A man who raped and murdered two children in 2008 was ‘nearly lynched’ by locals who attended a re-enactment of the crime in Khao Yoi district in the central province of Phetchaburi on Monday.
The suspect, 53 year old Chert Srijoon, went on the run for 14 years after raping and murdering 13 year old June and 16 year old Naen back in 2008.
Chert confessed to raping and strangling June and dumping her body into a swamp. Then, he raped and strangled Naen and dumped her body in the woods on the side of the road, Chert told police.
In Thailand, a ‘re-enactment’ of a crime is a common feature of criminal investigations, especially if a suspect has already plead guilty to the crime. The police, suspect and members of the public will gather at the crime scene and the suspect will walk through what happened and where. Re-enactments, while controversial, are designed to provide more clarity into the details of a crime, show off the police’s investigative skills and publicly embarrass the criminal.
On Monday, chaos broke out at Chert’s re-enactment, which was cut short as members of the public broke through police barriers and attacked him. Police put Chert into a van to get him away from the angry crowds, who stormed the van, preventing it from leaving the area.
Naen’s father Wanchai attended the re-enactment, holding up a photo of his murdered daughter. June’s parents also attended and gave the police a gift basket for finally tracking down their daughter’s killer.
Chert said in the 14 years he went on the run, he stayed in the Klong Toei district of Bangkok, Lopburi and finally Chanthaburi where he was caught. After police arrested him, Chert confessed to the crimes at Khao Yoi Police Station in Phetchaburi province.
The suspect said he avoided getting arrested by working odd jobs that didn’t require him to provide his national ID number.
The court is yet to sentence Chert for his crimes.
SOURCE: Sanook