AN expat charged with murdering a teenage girl and stuffing her body in a suitcase “lived like a pig” alongside an extensive gun collection, neighbours say.
The shady background of Simon Carman has been revealed after the gruesome discovery of a body in Thailand last week.
Carman was charged with the murder of Tunchanok Donhomla on Sunday June 28 Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
CCTV footage reveals the final moments of Tunchanok alongside Carman Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Carman, from Ballarat, Victoria, allegedly picked up Tunchanok Donhomla from the Beach Road vice strip in Pattaya Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Carman walks with a suitcase outside a condominium, in Pattaya City, Thailand Credit: Reuters
The 46-year-old has been accused of killing Tunchanok Donhomla before dumping her body near railway tracks in South last Friday.
According to the man’s neighbours, the suspected murderer was prone to aggressive outbursts and was always on meds.
Speaking to The Australian, one said: “He lived like a pig.”
He reportedly also carried a large gun collection which was stored in a box alongside ammunition.
Carman was shortly after arrested on suspicion of murder Credit: AsiaPacificPress via ViralPress
Police later found the suitcase abandoned with the teen’s body inside Credit: Reuters
It is believed that took away Carman’s guns around a year before he moved to Thailand.
Another neighbour told The Australian : “He had lots of guns and all that, and I was a bit concerned in case he snapped. It was good that the police took them off him.”
Speaking to the Herald Sun , a third said: “He had quite a few run-ins with people. He was 6ft 1ins, he was a big guy. Just look at the size of him compared with that young girl.”
After missing persons reports, Thai police retraced Tunchanok’s last moments to a Pattaya hotel room where they found signs of a struggle and blood splattered across the floor.
CCTV footage from Thursday, June 25, revealed the pair walking into a hotel room hand in hand.
A man matching the description of Carman was then caught struggling with a black suitcase as he left the room later that night.
It matched the bag that Tunchanok’s body was found in just 10 minutes from the hotel on Friday, police said.
The suspect was arrested at Bangkok’s major international airport on Friday June 26, with officials believing he was planning to flee.
During police interviews he allegedly told cops he agreed to pay the teen 1,000 baht (AU$43.45), but erupted in an argument when he offered 500 baht (AU$21.72).
He claimed Tunchanok had attacked him with a knife, and he acted in self-defence.
Asked by an officer if he killed the girl, Carman said: “No”.
He has since been charged with murder, concealment of a body, and taking a minor for sexual purposes.
The young girl’s heartbroken family have now called for the former mechanic to face the death penalty.
Police boss Anek Sarathongyu said: “We believe he killed her, and he is being questioned on suspicion of murder.
“Although the foreign man denies killing her, we do not believe him. The evidence that he killed her is extremely strong.”
A murder conviction in Thailand can result in a life sentence or the death penalty.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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