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Thailand Police concludes their investigation into the country’s ‘cyanide killer’

Thailand Police have concluded their investigation into the infamous “cyanide killer” of the country, a woman accused of murdering at least 14 people and labeled as the worst-ever serial killer in Thailand. The arrest of Sararat Rangsiwuthporn, a 36-year-old woman, took place in April after the families of numerous alleged victims came forward.

Thai police stated that between 2015 and 2023, Sararat killed people in eight provinces by lacing their food with cyanide. The majority of her victims were individuals to whom Sararat owed money, while others were individuals she had stolen from. The police also mentioned that one person targeted for poisoning managed to survive. Cyanide is a highly lethal chemical that acts quickly, interfering with the body’s ability to use oxygen.

Although Sararat has denied committing murder, she has confessed to using cyanide according to the police. Deputy Police Chief Surachate Hakparn described the case as “historic” and stated that it would be submitted to prosecutors on Friday. He stated during a press conference, “Thailand has had serial killers before, but the number of deaths was not this high.”

Surachate mentioned that Sararat is facing 80 charges, including cyanide poisoning, forgery, theft, and premeditated murder, which carries the death penalty. He added that there would be stricter regulations regarding access to cyanide.

Sararat initially became a suspect following the death of a friend while they were on a trip together in April. The victim’s family blamed Sararat for the incident, leading the police to launch an investigation. Sararat and her friend had participated in a Buddhist protection ritual near a river in Ratchaburi province a couple of weeks prior to the death. The friend’s body was discovered without her phone, bags, and money, and the autopsy report revealed traces of cyanide.

The mother of Sararat’s deceased friend expressed suspicions about Sararat due to her recent friendship with her wealthy daughter. She alleged that she directly approached the deputy police chief with her concerns, as Sararat’s former husband is a police officer. Subsequently, the police compiled a list of around a dozen other individuals, aged between 33 and 44, who had passed away after having contact with Sararat.

The families of the victims reported that jewelry and money ranging from 60,000 to 300,000 baht were missing from their bodies and bank accounts. The Thai police believe that Sararat’s modus operandi involved befriending wealthy individuals and then persuading them to join her on trips or for meals. She allegedly administered cyanide pills disguised as herbal medicine or mixed the poison into their food and drinks.

One victim, who claims to have survived poisoning by Sararat, stated that she narrowly escaped harm after lending Sararat 250,000 baht.

Sararat has been denied bail by the court due to concerns about her potentially fleeing. She is currently being held at the Central Women’s Correctional Institution. Her lawyer has stated that she denies all charges and experienced a spike in blood pressure while in custody.

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