Driver did it, police insist

Senior police held a press conference to dispute a theory of Akeyuth’s lawyer, Suwat Apaipak, that the businessman may have been killed on someone’s order.
The senior police included Metropolitan Commissioner Pol Lt-General Khamronwit Thoopkrajang, Crime Suppression Division commander Pol Maj-General Supisal Pakdeenaruenart, and Forensic Medicine Institute Commander Pornchai Sutthikul.
Pornchai brought a team of doctors who performed the autopsy on Akeyuth’s body. One told the press that Akeyuth’s genitals were not hit, as suspected. The doctor said decomposition had caused swelling and a bruised testicle, as the businessman was killed five days before his body was exhumed. The doctor said there was no trace of injuries on Akeyuth’s face either.
A forensic officer told the press conference that they had checked all handprints inside the van and did not find any from other people apart from the handprints of the chauffeur, Santiparb Pengduang, and his accomplice.
Pol Maj-General Naiwat Padoemchit, an officer in charge of the investigation, said that Akeyuth could not escape although there were only two suspects abducting him, because he was handcuffed with his arms behind his back.
Naiwat said the van’s doors were also locked with a “baby-locking” system so Akeyuth could not open the doors on his own.
Supisal said he was assigned to check the record of Santiparb and found that the suspect was an aggressive man and could have planned the abduction on his own. Supisal said Santiparb was also addicted to gambling.
Khamronwit said all evidence pointed to Santiparb killing Akeyuth for money. He said if Santiparb had been hired to murder Akeyuth, he would have confessed because his parents were now also facing charges of accepting stolen money.