Police are expanding their investigation into the murder of a 16-year-old maid whose body was left buried in Phetchaburi for five years, after the victim's former employer, who was arrested Sunday, claimed there were others involved in the murder.
Krisana Suwanphithak, 45, a former beauty pageant contestant described by her close associates as hot-tempered and violent, was detained at a resort in Chachoengsao's Muang district at 5am Sunday over the murder of her maid Jariya Srisak.
Ms Krisana confessed to all charges against her, police say. She also named more people allegedly involved in the murder and concealing the body, said Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) chief Thitiraj Nhongharnpitak.
Pol Lt Gen Thitiraj declined to go into detail about the new suspects, saying he could not reveal any more information while the investigation is ongoing.
As for Ms Krisana's role in the murder, Pol Lt Gen Thitiraj said she admitted to having beaten Jariya and taking her body to be buried at her mother's home in Phetchaburi's Muang district.
Although the suspect appeared to be withholding some information, her confession and statement were useful for investigators, said Pol Lt Gen Thitiraj.
He added Ms Krisana would be interrogated further.
"She is at this point charged with injuring the victim and causing her death, while charges of premeditated murder and concealing a corpse will possibly be added when investigators have sufficient evidence," he said.
A source, meanwhile, said Ms Krisana told investigators during her interrogation that she didn't act alone in the murder and that there was at least one friend, identified only as "Tom", was also involved.
Police are looking for this suspect, said the source, adding that after the murder, Ms Krisana sold the house in the Pracha Chuen area of Bangkok where the attack took place.
According to the source, Ms Krisana isn't known to have a proper career.
She dates a rich man and spends most of her time gambling at casinos in Cambodia's Poipet.
Poipet is adjacent to Sa Kaeo's Aranyaprathet district.
At the time of her detainment by police at the Chachoengsao resort Sunday, she appeared disoriented. She couldn't communicate well and it seemed as though she was under the influence of drugs, said the source.
Another source, however, said investigators have information about three people who helped Ms Krisana conceal the victim's corpse, and the police were compiling evidence to back up their request for a warrant for their arrest.
On Saturday, Pol Col Phumin Phumphanmuang, chief of the Crime Suppression Division (CSD)'s Sub-division 5, said three people of interest had been questioned in connection to the murder and they told investigators that Ms Krisana had caused Jariya's death.
They had confessed to being part of a plot to conceal the crime.
They are Ms Krisana older brother, who is a village head in Phetchaburi, Ms Krisana's daughter and another person who is an employee of Ms Krisana.
The three people, however, denied any involvement in Jariya's death and insisted they had decided to help Ms Krisana conceal the body only because of their family connection, Pol Col Phumin said.
They told CSD investigators that Ms Krisana had a hot temper and they had frequently seen her assaulting Jariya, he said.
During the Songkran festival of 2012, Ms Krisana had hit Jariya in the face with an aerosol can, which resulted in severe injuries, the witnesses said.
She then refused to take Jariya to receive medical assistance, said Pol Col Phumin, citing information provided by the three.
The trio said Jariya died the following day, which prompted Ms Krisana to ask for their help in taking the body to be buried near a sugar palm tree on the premises of her mother's home in Ban Na Mon Moo 7 in tambon Nong Sano of Phetchaburi's Muang district.
On Friday, a source said Jariya's mother, Janthira Srisak, 48, travelled from Phetchaburi to Bangkok to seek help from the Pavena Foundation for Children and Women after she had been told by an unidentified witness last month that her missing daughter had been beaten to death and her body was buried five years ago.
According to the source, the mother sought help from the foundation because she was aware that the family of the suspected murderer is influential in Phetchaburi.
She had lodged a complaint with the local police in 2011 after having lost contact with her daughter while she was working as a housemaid at Ms Krisana's home in Bangkok.
The police later told her that Ms Krisana had insisted her daughter had run away, Ms Janthira said.
"If I have a chance to meet those suspects, all I want to know from them is what made them kill my daughter," Ms Janthira said.
Results of a DNA test to confirm whether the skeleton found buried in Phetchaburi really is that of Jariya are expected today.
Police are also expected to take Ms Krisana to court today to seek permission to detain her further while investigating the case.
