An Australian man accused of murdering a 17-year-old Thai girl reportedly sent disturbing text messages while her body was concealed in his apartment. Simon Peter Carman, 45, faces charges including murder, concealing and moving a body, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes in the death of Tunchanok Donhomla.
Police allege Carman kept Donhomla’s body in his Pattaya apartment bathroom for approximately 18 hours while he continued his daily routine, including shopping, eating, and doing laundry. Surveillance footage shows Carman leaving his building with a large black suitcase around 9 p.m., which he then transported by motorbike. Police claim he disposed of the body in long grass beside railway tracks, about 2.6 miles from his residence.
Donhomla, who weighed approximately 88 pounds, appeared to have suffered facial injuries consistent with a violent assault, including swelling, bruising, and blood around her mouth and nose, according to an autopsy. Carman, who is significantly larger than the victim, has claimed he strangled Donhomla in an act of self-defense following a dispute over payment.
He reportedly told authorities the dispute escalated when Donhomla allegedly put a knife to his throat. He also sent a video message to Donhomla's parents expressing sorrow for what happened, stating it was "out of my control" and urging other girls to be careful.
Carman was arrested at Bangkok's main international airport on Friday, just before boarding a flight to Perth. He has reportedly been moved to a prison hospital wing for safety reasons, with jail staff describing him as a "hard prisoner" who has shown no emotion since his arrest.
Donhomla’s family has rejected Carman's self-defense claim and is seeking the death penalty for him.
Sources indicate Carman regularly brought young Thai women to his apartment. One source told The Daily Telegraph that Donhomla was the youngest of these women. Other residents of his apartment complex claimed young women visited the flat at least once a month, and that Carman was generally respectful, sometimes paying them for cleaning or massages.
Donhomla had texted friends upon arriving at Carman’s apartment, noting that the room was messy. Police confirmed she was killed approximately 30 minutes after entering his apartment in the early hours of Thursday, June 26. Her body was found inside a suitcase, with her personal belongings recovered nearby.