Thai-German couple questioned over the horrific murder of wealthy woman, 67, found mutilated at plantation. Police suspect robbery as the motive after the victim’s fingers were severed for jewellery. Investigations continue into the couple’s involvement.
Police in Chonburi and Rayong were busy on Saturday and Sunday after a brutal murder was discovered on Friday evening. 67-year-old Ms. Wanna Kuhner was found at a palm oil plantation, murdered with two fingers severed. At length, the shocking crime scene led police to immediately confirm that it was a premeditated murder driven by greed. Furthermore, that it was committed by at least two perpetrators. On Saturday, an elderly Thai-German couple, the Wolfs, were taken into custody by police. 57-year-old Ms. Kamonwan Wolf was the last person to speak to the victim on the phone earlier on Friday afternoon. Police essentially believe that she collected the victim after a temple visit in Sattahip, Chonburi, earlier in the day. They believe Ms. Kamonwan was a decoy used to lure the older woman to her brutal end.
Police in Wang Chan District, Rayong, arrested a Thai-German couple in connection with the brutal murder of a 67-year-old Thai woman, Ms. Wanna Kuhner, on Friday, November 15, 2024.
The arrest came after the discovery of her mutilated body at an oil palm plantation, shocking the local community and raising concerns about premeditated violence motivated by robbery.
Worker finds body of 67-year-old Thai woman at oil palm plantation with signs of foul play and severe injuries
The grisly scene was first reported at approximately 7:30 PM by Mr. Sai, a Laotian worker. While returning from the market to the plantation where he works, he noticed a body lying face down on the side of a dirt road.
Initially thinking the individual had fainted, he approached and discovered the person was dead. Closer inspection revealed blunt force trauma to the face and a severe gash on the back of the head.
The victim’s ring fingers had been severed, and two detached fingers were found nearby. A pair of brown shoes, hair clips, glasses, lipstick, and a handbag strap were scattered around the area.
Authorities were quickly summoned, with Police Colonel Phatthana Roprue, Superintendent of Wang Chan Police, overseeing the investigation.
The condition of the body suggested the murder was premeditated, occurring at least six hours earlier. Witnesses in the vicinity recalled seeing a white Toyota Vios entering the area around 1:00 PM before leaving 20 minutes later.
Victim identified as Ms. Wanna Kuhner from Sattahip, Chonburi, who was reported missing by her daughter
By Saturday, police had identified the victim as Ms. Wanna Kuhner, a well-off woman residing in Sattahip, Chonburi, with her 80-year-old German husband.
Her daughter, Ms. Wannarat Saengkaew, a civil servant and General Affairs Manager at the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG), had filed a missing persons report earlier that day after her mother failed to return home from a local Kathin ceremony.
On the morning of November 15, Ms. Wanna’s husband dropped her off at Khao Ploy Meditation Center for a Kathin ceremony. At length, this was also in Sattahip, Chonburi. After the ceremony, she accepted a ride home from a neighbour who dropped her off at the entrance of her village.
Before she could reach her house, Ms. Wanna received a phone call and was seen entering a white Toyota Vios. CCTV footage later confirmed this car was registered to Ms. Kamonwan Wolf, a 57-year-old woman also married to a German national.
Ms. Kamonwan’s call to Ms. Wanna was the last recorded on the victim’s phone. Police discovered that Ms. Kamonwan had previously lived and worked in Wang Chan District, making her familiar with the area where the body was dumped.
Investigators suspect robbery as motive after discovering victim’s jewellery missing and fingers severed
Ms. Wanna was wearing a 3-baht gold necklace, a 5-baht gold bracelet, two diamond rings and carrying cash in her handbag at the time of her disappearance.
None of these items were found on her body. Investigators believe the perpetrator cut off Ms. Wanna’s fingers to retrieve the rings.
Ms. Kamonwan’s connection to the victim, and her subsequent actions, raised significant suspicions. Police investigators believe she may have targeted Ms. Wanna for the valuable jewellery she was wearing.
The severed fingers and the missing rings pointed to a robbery gone wrong, though the brutal nature of the crime suggested that violence had escalated unnecessarily.
Arrest warrant for Ms. Kamonwan Wolf after surveillance confirms her links to the victim’s disappearance
The authorities quickly turned their attention to Ms. Kamonwan after CCTV footage confirmed her car was involved in the victim’s disappearance.
They obtained an arrest warrant for her on Saturday November 16. She was apprehended at her residence in Sriracha District, Chonburi, and brought in for questioning.
While denying any involvement, scratch marks on her arms and bruises on her hand raised suspicions. Police also questioned her 68-year-old German husband, Mr. Wolf, after he returned home from a motorcycle trip.
He claimed to have been riding in Pattaya at the time of the murder. Police seized their vehicle for forensic analysis, including fingerprint and DNA evidence.
Investigators focus on Ms. Kamonwan as the mastermind, while Mr. Wolf’s possible involvement is under scrutiny
The oil palm plantation where Ms. Wanna’s body was discovered is located in Pa Yup Subdistrict, a remote area unfamiliar to most outsiders. This, coupled with Ms. Kamonwan’s prior residency in Wang Chan District, strengthened the theory that she played a central role in planning the crime.
Despite her claims of innocence, forensic evidence and eyewitness testimony pointed to her involvement. Investigators have yet to determine whether Mr. Wolf participated directly in the crime.
However, they noted that his presence during the questioning seemed to complicate matters. Authorities continued to investigate whether he had been involved or whether he had been complicit in the crime by assisting with the disposal of the body.
Grieving daughter of victim describes shock, anger, and betrayal after her mother’s brutal murder
Ms. Wannarat, the victim’s daughter, expressed her devastation over her mother’s gruesome death. Tearfully recounting the events, she described her mother as a devout woman who loved attending merit-making ceremonies.
She revealed that family members had often warned her mother against wearing valuable jewellery in public, but Ms. Wanna dismissed their concerns, believing in her safety. “My mother had just made merit,” Ms. Wannarat said. “She was a kind-hearted person. Why did they have to kill her in such a cruel way?”
Ms. Wannarat’s grief turned to anger as she spoke about the betrayal by someone her mother considered a friend. The revelation that the woman who killed her mother had been someone her family knew personally made the tragedy even more difficult to accept.
The investigation also shed light on the fact that Ms. Kamonwan was well-acquainted with the victim and had even attended social gatherings together. The relationship between the two women raised chilling questions about the depth of the crime.
Was this a case of envy, a sudden impulse of greed, or something darker? CCTV footage showed the white Toyota Vios leaving the village where Ms. Wanna was last seen. The same car was later spotted at the plantation, confirming its role in the victim’s disappearance.
Forensic evidence and Ms. Kamonwan’s past connections to the area make her a prime suspect in the murder
Police also uncovered Ms. Kamonwan’s connections to the area through her work history. Significantly, it makes it plausible that she knew the region well enough to execute the crime without drawing attention.
At the scene, officers collected forensic evidence, including fingerprints and hair samples, to identify additional suspects. Ms. Kamonwan’s vehicle was impounded for further examination.
Authorities also recovered traces of blood from the car, which they believe to be linked to Ms. Wanna. This further cemented the belief that Ms. Kamonwan had orchestrated the crime.
Investigation focuses on forensics and possible accomplices as authorities probe Mr. Wolf’s involvement
Investigators remain focused on piecing together the chain of events that led to Ms Wanna’s tragic death. They will continue to analyse the forensic evidence. In particular traces of DNA found in the car. At length, these could link both Ms. Kamonwan and Mr. Wolf to the crime scene.
Murderer of the district leader arrested by police on Monday in Pathum Thani after Friday night horror
While Ms. Kamonwan remains the prime suspect in the murder, the authorities are proceeding cautiously. Certainly Mr. Wolf’s role is similarly under investigation. Forensic testing on his motorcycle, as well as his alibi, are currently under scrutiny.
The possibility of additional accomplices is being considered. As the investigation unfolds, the key question remains: what drove the couple to commit such a heinous act? Was this a cold, calculated murder for financial gain, or was there a deeper motive involving personal animosities or hidden conflicts?
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