An Australian man faces murder and concealment charges related to the death of a teenage girl in an eastern Thailand resort city, Thai police reported Tuesday. The 17-year-old’s disappearance was reported Friday. Surveillance footage showed her last seen entering an apartment building with the suspect, Simon Peter Carman, in the coastal city of Pattaya, located about 150 kilometers east of Bangkok.
Later, Carman was seen leaving the building alone with a large suitcase. Security footage captured him loading the suitcase onto a motorcycle and heading toward an isolated area near the railway, according to local police.
Authorities detained Carman early Saturday morning at a Bangkok airport before he boarded a flight to Perth, Australia. He faces charges of raping a minor. Police discovered the suitcase containing the girl’s body shortly after his arrest, leading to additional charges. Premeditated murder charges carry the potential death penalty.
Carman denies all charges and remains in custody with legal representation. It is unclear when he will appear in court, said Kanoknan Sooksri, a Pattaya police investigator handling the case.
Thai media shared security footage allegedly showing Carman holding hands with the girl as they entered an apartment elevator early Thursday morning. The footage later shows him leaving alone with a dark suitcase Thursday night.
Another video shared online by Thai media displays Carman being questioned by police. ‘I was holding her because she went crazy,’ Carman explained to investigators in the video. He later added that the girl threatened him while he attempted to give her 500 baht (15 dollars). ‘I had my wallet open to get the money and suddenly a knife was in my face.’
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