Chumphon: The lover of a Provincial Electricity Authority employee held for the murder of his bride-to-be has also been charged with premeditated murder.
The court yesterday granted a warrant for the arrest of Narumon Chuaisombat after police found evidence that the 23-year-old and the suspected killer, Ronnachai Panchart, 26, allegedly bought a shotgun together.
Furthermore, Ms Narumon is believed to have driven Mr Ronnachai to the victim's room where he shot her dead, according to a police source.
The body of Nontiya Kruajaturas, a 25-year-old dental assistant at a local hospital, was found on Dec 19 -- five days before her wedding -- in her room at the residential compound of Tambon Salui Health Promotion Hospital in Chumphon's Tha Sae district.
Her groom-to-be, Mr Ronnachai, earlier admitted to killing his girlfriend, according to police. Mr Ronnachai reportedly confessed that he killed his fiance because he was in love with Ms Narumon and no longer wanted to tie the knot with Nontiya.
The female suspect, her face hidden under a mask, was yesterday handed over to Salui Police Station for interrogation.
Citing the initial questioning of Ms Narumon, the source said the woman admitted she bought a gun for Mr Ronnachai at a price of 7,000 baht after he told her he needed it for self-protection.
Ms Narumon claimed she had "no idea" about any plot to kill Nontiya when Mr Ronnachai asked her to drive him to his girlfriend's apartment on Tuesday so he could "clear up" the love triangle before his wedding day.
Nontiya was killed by a shotgun blast about 1am on Tuesday.
Mr Ronnachai and Nontiya had reportedly quarrelled after the late bride-to-be found out her boyfriend had been having an affair with Ms Narumon, who worked in the same office at the Provincial Electricity Authority.
According to the police source, Ms Narumon waited for Mr Ronnachai in the car while he was in Nontiya's room. He later returned to the car and told the woman to drive him to Klong Tha Taphao where he allegedly disposed of the shotgun.
Police investigators found the weapon in the canal and are planning to use it as evidence to tie the two suspects to the murder, the source said.
Police have charged Ms Narumom with colluding in premeditated murder, illegal possession of a weapon and carrying it without permission.
Chao Kruajaturas, the father of the victim, claimed that the killing might have been related to financial issues. He earlier claimed the dowry money and gold for the wedding day, as well as money in the couple's joint bank account had disappeared since the murder.
Nontiya had helped Mr Ronnachai handle money matters because the man was not financially adept, the father added.
Her family said on Thursday they would not hold a cremation ritual until all the wrongdoers were brought to justice.
