Kamonwan Wolf, 57, lured her friend Wanna Kuhner, 65, to a secluded plantation, killed her with an iron bar, and severed her fingers to steal jewellery. She sold the items for ฿80,000 to repay gambling debts. Police confirmed she acted alone, ruling out her husband.
Police in Rayong on Monday committed 57-year-old Kamonwan Wolf into the custody of the court, charged with premeditated murder. This came after investigators ruled out any involvement from her German husband in an appalling murder committed on Friday. At length, 65-year-old Wanna Kuhner was murdered by her in a secluded spot with an iron bar. The wealthy woman was struck repeatedly on the head, and later her fingers were severed for her jewellery. The accused subsequently sold the items for ฿80,000 in Chonburi to pay off online gambling debts.
A 57-year-old Thai woman was taken into custody by Rayong Provincial Court on Monday, charged with premeditated murder. At length, 57-year-old Kamonwan Wolf eventually confessed to police under interrogation. At this time, she is facing the prospect of the death sentence for what must indeed be considered a heinous crime.
In short, Ms. Kamonwan used a heavy iron bar to murder a close friend. She turned on her after luring her to a secluded spot in Rayong. This was near a palm oil plantation in the Wang Chan area of the province.
Thai woman lured her friend to a palm oil plantation and fatally struck her with a heavy iron bar
Before this, she had taken 65-year-old Ms. Wanna Kuhner from the bosom of her friends after a merit-making ceremony in Sattahip, Chonburi. After her arrest on Saturday under a warrant issued by the court, the suspect initially denied the charges.
However, following intense cross-examination before investigators in Rayong, she eventually wilted.
At length, this only came after DNA evidence from the victim’s fingernails matched the hair of the accused. She told police that she had murdered her friend for her jewellery. In particular, a 3-baht gold necklace, a 5-baht bracelet and two diamond rings.
On Monday, police at Wang Chan Police Station in Rayong took the accused in a horrific murder case back to the scene of the crime. The purpose was to stage a reenactment of the crime.
However, before this, at 6 a.m., an early start, police went with Ms. Kamonwan to locate a heavy iron bar — in brief, the murder weapon used in this ghastly crime.
Police staged a crime scene reenactment after DNA linked the accused to her murdered friend’s jewellery
Previously, Ms. Kamonwan told shocked police officers how she had struck her friend with it. This occurred as she halted her white Toyota Vios car, and the pair exited the vehicle. She hit her repeatedly in the forehead and also in the back of the head as she fell.
After that, the killer cut her friend’s fingers to remove her jewellery. Later, the severed fingers were found at a distance from the body, together with the victim’s brown shoes.
Later, Ms. Kamonwan drove to Ban Bueng, Chonburi. There, at a jewellery shop, she sold the murdered woman’s jewellery for ฿80,000.
The motive for the vicious murder was a desperate need to pay back online gambling debts. Indeed, it is not the first case of a desperate Thai woman murdering to pay such debts.
In June 2023, the Royal Thai Police finalised a case against Thai serial killer Ms. Sararat Rangsiwutthaporn, or Am Cyanide.
Biggest criminal case in Thai history to be finalised, on Friday, against suspected serial killer Am Cyanide
This woman was charged with 15 murders by poisoning, also linked with massive online gambling debts. The Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) is currently prosecuting the case.
Desperation to pay online gambling debts cited as motive for the gruesome murder of a wealthy Thai woman
Rayong police have also confirmed that Ms. Kamonwan’s German husband was not a party to the crime. He was taken in for questioning on Saturday.
In short, Mr. Wolf’s explanation that he was in Pattaya on a motorcycling cruise has been verified by police. Under questioning, Ms. Kamonwan insisted that she acted alone.
In the meantime, on Monday, there were highly charged and emotional scenes at the murder site. As the murder accused demonstrated to police what had occurred, police had to cordon off a crowd of onlookers. Among them was Mr. Somchai, a brother of the victim, Ms. Wanna.
Thai German couple questioned over horrific and callous murder of a wealthy woman for her jewellery
Certainly, he expressed his disbelief and anger later with reporters. He also lamented the cruel loss of his well-loved sister. Mr. Somchai explained that if Ms. Kamonwan had simply asked his sister for help, she would have given it to her. He was dumbstruck by the cruelty and savage nature of her murder. He insisted he could never forgive the killer.
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Further reading:
Thai German couple questioned over horrific and callous murder of a wealthy woman for her jewellery
Murderer of district leader arrested by police on Monday in Pathum Thani after Friday night horror
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