Police investigating the murders of two British tourists on a Thai holiday island were today questioning three migrant workers after CCTV captured a key suspect man near the scene of the killings.
The Asian-looking man was seen walking back and forth in front of a security camera near Siree beach on Koh Tao where the bodies of Hannah Witheridge and David Miller were found yesterday morning.
Officers said they had detained three Burmese men who live and work locally after studying the footage.
It cames as the girlfriend of Mr Miller, from Jersey, left an emotional tribute to him on Facebook.
Jessy Ryan Howorth posted: “My best friend and the love of my life. We were meant to have so much more time together but I’ll continue loving you everyday forever x”.
The victims had been at a beach party together and were seen leaving hand-in-hand at around 1am. Their bodies were found around 6:30am local time yesterday by an employee at the Ocean View Resort, where the pair were both staying with friends.
Mr Miller was found naked with serious head wounds and Miss Witheridge was found partially naked with severe facial wounds. A bloodstained garden hoe was found nearby.
Senior police official Major General Kiattipong Khawsamang said the suspect was caught on CCTV walking in the same direction as the murdered pair.
Police official, Colonel Somsak Noorod, drafted in from the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan, said: “The man walked back and forth in the area sometimes quite hurriedly during the period it is estimated the victims died, between 2am and 4am.
“We are in the process of trying to identify this man.”
Police also confirmed the hunt for a British man previously under suspicion had been called off.
Local television reports claimed police had seized an iPhone and blood-stained jeans after raiding rooms used by the three detainees.
Sean McAnna, a friend of 24-year-old Mr Miller, who is in Koh Tao, said: “My mate Dave lost his life on koh Tao. We were meant to meet up when we found out we were both there at the same time but I fell asleep. He was killed that night. I feel f***ing terrible.”
The bodies of the victims are being driven 500 kilometres from southern Surat Thai province to Bangkok for forensic tests later today.
The family of 23-year-old Miss Witheridge, from Great Yarmouth, are believed to be flying out to Bangkok today.
According to her posts on Facebook and Twitter she had recently graduated in education studies from the University of East Anglia and had begun a languages masters degree at the University of Essex.
