Murdered Italian man’s Thai wife arrested

THE Thai wife of an Italian man who was murdered and his body burnt 10 days ago was arrested at a fruit farm on the border of Kamphang Petch and Tak provinces this morning, The Thai-language daily Matichon reported today (Jan. 29).

The arrest of Ms Ruchira Klailamai, 38, follows that of her new French lover Amaury  Rigaud, 34, a little earlier with both wanted under warrants issued by central Phichit province court on the charges of murdering and burning the body of her Italian husband, Mr Giuseppe di Stephanie, 62 on Jan. 19.

Police who have been tracking her for days found her hiding on top of a longan tree at a longan fruit farm, in Tak province’s Wang Chao district, with this province sharing a long border with Myanmar, and the farm also near the jungle in Khamphaeng Phet province where Rigaud was arrested.

Police added that she was holding a bag of food and was in a weakened state after being on the run for 10 days.

Meanwhile Rigaud, who was brought to Phichit province’s Bang Narang district police station, where the murder took place, has denied killing the Italian man.

He told police that Ruchira, her former Thai husband and some other Thais who whose identity he does not know killed the Italian man.

CAPTION: Ruchira after her arrest at a fruit farm this morning. Photo: Matichon

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