After police issued an arrest warrant, the ex-husband of a Thai woman accused of murdering 14 individuals with cyanide turned himself in. Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn was a prominent police officer in the province of Ratchaburi, where one of the alleged murders occurred.
Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, was arrested in Bangkok last week. She has been accused with fourteen counts of murder, which she denies. The first murders were suspected to have occurred in 2020. However, police believe there are more victims and have implored individuals to come forward.
Ms. Sararat was financially motivated. She obtained loans worth thousands of dollars and also stole jewellery and other items from her victims. Mr. Rangsiwuthaporn, the ex-husband of Ms. Sararat, was charged with fraud and embezzlement relating to the murders on Wednesday.
According to police, he turned himself in after authorities issued an arrest warrant. While divorced, the couple continued to live together. Mr. Rangsiwuthaporn was most likely implicated in the alleged murder of Ms. Sararat's ex-boyfriend, Suthisak Poonkwan, according to the police.
After she murdered him, Mr. Rangsiwuthaporn drove her around the province of Udon Thani, where she extorted money from Suthisak's acquaintances. Since 2020, the majority of the murders have taken place in provinces west of Bangkok.
Ms. Sararat's victims are believed to have been murdered by either slipping cyanide pills into their food or even offering them as herbal medication. Cyanide deprives the body cells of oxygen, which can result in heart attacks. Early poisoning symptoms include vertigo, shortness of breath, and vomiting.
Before inviting wealthy individuals to a meal or on a vacation, she allegedly befriended them and gained their trust. The age of all the victims ranges from 33 to 45. As she had a substantial amount of credit card debt, she asked people she knew for money. If the people asked for their money back she began killing them, said Surachate Hakparn, deputy national police chief, on Wednesday at a press conference.
According to police, a friend who they believe was the intended victim loaned her 250,000 baht (£5,900; $7,300). After lunch with Sararat, the woman threw up and fell unconscious but she recovered. Ms. Sararat was detained on April 25, two weeks after a wealthy companion who died while travelling with her was apprehended.
Siriporn Khanwong had died on a riverbank in the province of Ratchaburi after travelling there with Ms. Sararat to participate in a Buddhist protection ritual. When she was discovered, her phone, cash, and jewellery were absent, and an autopsy revealed traces of cyanide in her body.
Ms. Sararat's residence contained a bottle of cyanide when she was arrested last week. According to local media, she is four months pregnant and has two children with Mr. Rangsiwuthaporn, who has taken a leave of absence from the police department.
Local media reported that the couple resided in police apartments in Kanchanaburi, a riverside tourist destination in the western part of the country. They heard from her acquaintances that she kept to herself and only interacted with the families of wealthy police officers.
The police are also investigating Ms. Sararat's pharmacy-owning sister. The police report that they are still amassing evidence for additional related cases and trial date has yet to be decided upon.
