American fugitive Bart Allen Helmus was finally officially declared dead this week 8 days after shooting himself in the head with a handgun rather than allowing himself to be taken back into custody. His Thai wife, 31-year-old Sirinapha Wisetrit has now been handed back into police custody and faces additional serious charges linked with the attempted prison escape and the injury of a police officer at Pattaya Provincial Court on November 4th last.
Local media reported on Wednesday, November 6th that the US prison escapee and drug dealer Bart Allen Helmus had died following his capture by Thai police and admission to the Crown Prince Hospital in Sa Kaeo. However, later medical updates suggested that he was alive in a coma and being kept alive with a ventilator machine. This week, the hospital announced the death of the fugitive at 6 pm on Thursday, November 14th. It is also reported that his Thai wife had been transferred back to police custody.
Bart Allen Helmus, the 29-year-old drug dealer arrested in Pattaya on July 12th last year and who subsequently escaped from prison at Pattaya Provincial Court on Monday, November 4th last with his Thai wife 31-year-old Sirinapha Wisetrit and another 41-year-old drugs dealer Noi Thon Ninthet, has been officially declared dead.
Pronounced dead on Thursday at 6 pm
The Crown Prince Hospital in Sa Kaeo announced that the captured fugitive was finally pronounced dead at 6 pm on Thursday by hospital officials, 8 days after he was brought into the medical facility with a bullet lodged in his brain, leaving him in a coma.
The drug dealer had attempted to kill both himself and his Thai wife by shooting them both in the head as police closed in on them at sugar cane plantation near the Cambodian border on Wednesday, November 6th, just two days after their prison breakout.
Local media reports on November 6th had already suggested that Helmus was dead
It is reported that Helmus never regained consciousness and was simply being kept alive by a ventilator even though he was brain dead for all intents and purposes.
Indeed many local media reports from Wednesday 6th of November reported that the US man from Kentucky already died after his heart had stopped twice in surgery.
Medical director confirmed that the American had been on life support since his admission
Dr Puwadol Kittiwattanasarn is the Sakaeo Crown Prince Hospital medical director. He confirmed the death and that Mr Helmus had been on life support since his admission to the hospital after the dramatic climax on November 6th.
The hospital had been quite concerned about the medical condition of his Thai wife 31-year-old Sirinapha Wisetrit now handed back into police custody.
Family in the United States to be notified
On Friday, Police Colonel Pirom Chantharapirom of the local Mueang Police Station in Sa Kaeo confirmed that the US embassy had been informed of the death in order to reach out to the American’s family.
Mr Helmus was a native of the US southeastern state of Kentucky.
Arrested on Saturday 13th of July when Pattaya police swooped on his Ban Lamung condo
Helmus was arrested when police swooped on the condo he shared with Ms Wisetrit on Saturday, July 13th.
From the outset, it was clear that the man had no fear of authority and had drawn police attention by his escalating drug dealing activities in the resort city where he was supplying a range of drugs bought on the dark web.
When police raided his condo that Saturday, they found a firearm with over 200 rounds of ammunition.
Facing the real possibility of the death penalty
The American was facing the real possibility of the death penalty if convicted on the drug dealing charges before the Pattaya Provincial Court before he escaped with his wife Sirinapha and the third escapee Noi Thion Ninthet.
Both his fellow escapees are now left facing these charges in addition to an attempted murder charge after Mr Helmus repeatedly stabbed a court police officer during the trio’s dramatic escape on November 4th.
Family of 41-year-old Thai man, drug dealer and fellow escapee now also facing criminal charges
It is understood that up 10 members of Mr Noi’s extended family are also facing charges in connection with the escape bid which very nearly succeeded.
The downfall of the plan occurred when a 5th getaway car was intercepted by police in the eastern province of Sa Kaeo near the Cambodian border forcing the three escapees to proceed by foot.
On Wednesday the 6th of November when Mr Helmus shot himself and his Thai wife after being surrounded by Thai police, they were in fact, only 12 km from the border and their freedom.
Join the Thai News forum, follow Thai Examiner on Facebook here
Receive all our stories as they come out on Telegram here
Follow Thai Examiner here
Further reading:
American inmate in a coma after shooting himself when police surrounded him and his Thai wife
American escapee tried to kill his wife as police net closed on them in Sa Kaeo province
American drug gangster escapes from custody in Pattaya with Thai wife in armed prison break
