Sketch of a man suspected of killing Russian women released

Head investigator Pol Lt-General Assawin Khwanmueng said later the sketch was drawn based on accounts of an eyewitness now under protection. The officer said the witness called the sketch a "remarkable resemblance" of the gunman he saw shooting the victims.

Photo: Sketch of a man suspected of killing Russian women released

The police said the image was taken from video footage from security cameras at a convenience store near the Dragon hotel where they stayed, police did not clarify whether the mug shot of the unidentified man who appears to be a Thai man aged around 25, was produced from the blurry camera image - later enhanced electronically - or if it simply matched a profile in their criminal records after the visual enhancement was done.
Prize money for information leading to the arrest of the killer/s was increased to Bt. 500,000.

Police also discovered that both Svirkova and Tsimfer spent three days on Koh Lan for three days and their last five days in downtown Pattaya. A police source said, no narcotic substances were found in their bodies apart from alcohol.

The source said earlier that Svirkova complained to her mother she felt uncomfortable being followed by some men, according to a police interview with the mother.

The source said police had interviewed five Russian men who had hung around with both women for several days before they were shot, two men said they had sex with the women - but had nothing to do with their murders.

 The source added the women also made friends with a group of foreign chopper motorcycle riders who hang out around Marine Plaza in walking street.

 Police also discovered that both Svirkova and Tsimfer spent three days on Koh Lan for three days upon arrival and their last five days in downtown Pattaya.No narcotic substances were found in their bodies apart from alcohol, pattayadailynews.com reports.

Prize money for information leading to the arrest of the killer/s was increased to Bt500,000 yesterday from the original Bt100,000. The police hotline is 081-875-1637.

A police source said earlier that Svirkova complained to her mother she felt uneasy being wooed by some men and had felt like going home, according to a police interview with the mother.

"She told her mum Pattaya was a nice place and Thai people were great, but she felt like returning home because some men were always trying to chat to her. Then she hung up," the source said.

The mother said Svirkova's call showed no sign of fear or worry of being followed by her admirers. However, Russian media had earlier published an interview with the father of Tsimfer, who said she had sounded scared during their last chat, saying she had had some sort of threat, the Nation reports.

Source: agencies

Prepared by Alexander Timoshik
Pravda.ru