A mentally ill man has admitted to killing and butchering a man in Udon Thani on Thursday, say police, who have also linked him to the beheading of another man and knife attacks on two other people 24 hours later.
Sataporn Seechiangsa, 20, a resident of Bung Kan province, was taken into custody at the Na Klang police station in Nong Bua Lam Phu on Friday evening following the intervention of several citizens.
Before his arrest, police said, Sataporn had attacked Nga Donprab, 53, with a knife and stolen her motorcycle. Several residents chased him down and subdued him after he fell off the bike.
Pol Gen Somkiat Srivorakhan, a deputy police chief, said that after three hours of interrogation, the suspect had admitted to killing and injuring his victims without knowing them, but his statements remained confusing.
A background check showed the suspect suffered from mental problems because of years of heavy drug use. Pol Gen Somkiat said the man appeared to be under the influence of a narcotic substance but a drug test turned out negative.
Police said Sataporn had been relased from prison two months ago after serving time for receiving stolen property and drug offences. He was undergoing rehabilitation treatment for methamphetamine addiction but disappeared from his home about a month ago.
The crime spree began on Thursday with the slaying of Panya Thongsri, 50, in Muang District of Udon Thani. Police said he was sitting on a bamboo bench at his hut in a sugarcane field when he was attacked from behind. The killer then dragged the victim's body away and cut his arms and legs into six pieces.
- Earlier report : Man killed, dismembered in Udon Thani
Police said the killer had arrived at Panya's hut on a stolen bicycle and then fled on the dead man's motorcycle. The motorcycle broke down in Kut Chap district of Udon Thani and Sataporn walked with the bike to a local bike shop to have it fixed, investigators said. He paid 450 baht for the repair which took about 30 minutes.
He then rode on to Suwannakhuha district in Nong Bua Lam Phu, 74 kilometres away, where the second victim was found slain on Friday morning.
Samrarn Srimungkhun, 61, was found lying face down with his neck severed on a local road in tambon Na Dee. Police suspected the killing was linked to Panya's death after witnesses in two provinces gave similar details about the identity of the suspected killer.
Local residents told police that Samrarn, who was homeless and mentally ill, had lived in the area for about 10 years and they expressed shock that he had been killed by a complete stranger.
Samrarn’s identity was confirmed by four witnesses, Pol Gen Somkiat said.
Pol Gen Somkiat said that Sataporn subsequently stole a bicycle in Na Klang district and later attacked Poltian Sopa, a 32-year-old pork butcher, when he was shutting the door of his home. Poltian was slashed in the neck and stabbed in the torso, but fought back and cried for help.
His assailant then ran away for about 300 metres and hacked Mrs Nga twice on the back of her neck. He then tried to snatch a five-year-old boy from her but failed. He fled the scene on Mrs Nga's motorcycle and travelled about five kilometres before local residents stopped him.
Police are questioning Sataporn further and have yet to press charges against him.