Hannah Witheridge pictured on Facebook back in September 2013. (Facebook)
Hannah Witheridge and David Miller have been named as the two tourists who chopped up by a hoe in Thailand. The names of the tourists were first announced in a Sky News tweet. Both were found dead early on the morning of September 15.
Here’s what we know so far:
1. They’re Both UK Citizens
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Witheridge is a native of Great Yarmouth in the Southwest coast of England. David Miller is from the island of Jersey in the English channel between the United Kingdom and France. According to the BBC, staff from the British embassy left for Koh Tao soon after the news broke of the murders.
2. They Were on Backpacking Trip
The two were said to have been backpackers going through the tiny island of Koh Tao. Their bodies were found close to the beach bungalows where they had been staying. Both had been in Thailand since August and had met just hours before their deaths. The Daily Telegraph reports that the two were seen leaving a bar at around 1 a.m. Sky News reports that Witheridge had been traveling with three friends.
The exact area where there bodies were found was the village of Hat Sat Ri. The area plays host to a weekly beach party on Sunday nights. The island is known as a haven for scuba divers. Thailand’s tourist industry is already reeling from the effects of marital law.
3. The Suspect Is a Fellow British Backpacker
So sad to hear that young man murdered in Thailand was Jerseyman David Miller. Thoughts and prayers with his family and friends. RIP
— Christian May (@christianrmay) September 15, 2014
The main suspect in the crime is a fellow British backpacker, according to The Guardian. The BBC reports that police in the area believe the man has already escaped Koh Tao. ITV reports that the suspect may be a friend of either Witheridge or Miller.
4. Hannah Witheridge Was Not Raped Before She Was Murdered
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Both bodies were found lying on a beach, stripped naked and bloodied. It’s also reported that Witheridge had been raped prior to her death, those reports were later found to be unfounded. Sky News reports that Miller was chopped in the back and the side of his head, Witheridge’s injuries were to her head.
5. Witheridge Is a College Student
Hannah Witheridge was a college student at the University of Essex and lived there, according to her Facebook page.