Woman linked to 14 cyanide murders is convicted and sentenced to death in Thailand

A Thai girl believed to be among the many worst serial killers within the kingdom’s historical past was convicted and sentenced to loss of life Wednesday for poisoning a pal with cyanide, within the first of her 14 homicide trials.

Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, 36, a web based playing addict, is accused of swindling 1000’s of {dollars} from her victims earlier than killing them with the chemical.

A court docket in Bangkok convicted her Wednesday for fatally poisoning her pal Siriporn Kanwong.

The 2 met up close to Bangkok in April final 12 months to launch fish into the Mae Klong river as a part of a Buddhist ritual.

Siriporn collapsed and died shortly afterwards and investigators discovered traces of cyanide in her physique.  Final 12 months, police said they collected fingerprints and different proof from Sararat’s Toyota Forerunner.

Police have been then capable of hyperlink Sararat to beforehand unsolved cyanide poisonings going again so far as 2015, officers mentioned.

“The court docket’s determination is simply,” Siriporn’s mom, Tongpin Kiatchanasiri, advised reporters following the decision. “I wish to inform my daughter that I miss her deeply, and justice has been achieved for her as we speak.”

Police mentioned Sararat funded her playing habit by borrowing cash from her victims — in a single case as a lot as 300,000 baht (practically $9,000) — earlier than killing them and stealing their jewellery and cellphones.

She lured 15 individuals — certainly one of whom survived — to take poisoned “herb capsules,” they mentioned.

Sararat faces 13 extra separate homicide trials, and has been charged with round 80 offenses in complete.

Her ex-husband, Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn  — a police lieutenant-colonel — was given 16 months in jail and her former lawyer two years for complicity in Siriporn’s killing, the lawyer for the sufferer’s household mentioned.

The couple, whereas divorced, had nonetheless been dwelling collectively, the BBC reported. Police mentioned Rangsiwuthaporn was possible concerned in Sararat’s alleged homicide of an ex-boyfriend, Suthisak Poonkwan, the BBC reported. Police mentioned that after she killed him, Rangsiwuthaporn picked her up in her automotive and helped her extorte cash from Suthisak’s mates.

Thailand has been the scene of a number of sordid and high-profile felony instances.

Earlier this 12 months, six foreigners were found dead in a luxurious Bangkok resort after a cyanide poisoning believed to be linked to money owed value hundreds of thousands of baht.