Aussie suitcase killer fled after police checked his room for missing teenager
Aussie suitcase killer Simon Carman fled shortly after police checked his room for his missing teenage victim.
Police said that they visited his squalid rented condo in Pattaya, eastern Thailand, at 1:24 pm on June 26, but they said they found no sign of Tunchanok Donhomla, 17, or anything suspicious.
But within minutes of them leaving, the Australian sex fiend had already begun packing his bags. He then made the two-hour journey to the Suvarnabhumi International Airport outside of Bangkok.
While he was on the road, Tunchanok's friend obtained CCTV footage from the building staff and presented it to the police, urging them to arrest Simon.
He was detained at around 7 pm as he tried to fly out if the country. Officers later retraced his movements, picked up by surveillance cameras and found Tunchanok stuffed inside a black suitcase by the town's railway line.
Speaking today, Lieutenant Colonel Kanoknan Suksri said: 'On June 26 at around 1:24 pm, after the victim's friend reported her missing, police officers and the condominium's security staff entered Simon's room to check. When we entered the room, we found Simon alone. There was nothing immediately suspicious.'
Colonel Anek Sarathongyu, Superintendent of the Pattaya City Police, added: 'Regarding the message reportedly sent by the victim to her friend saying, ‘I've arrived, the room is very messy,' we do not have a screenshot of that conversation. The only information we have is the friend's statement to investigators, who said that this was the last message received before all contact with the victim was lost.
'At this stage, the cause of death is believed to be asphyxiation. Simon claimed he strangled the victim, but the forensic examination has not yet been completed.
We have submitted all relevant evidence for forensic analysis, including tests for possible sexual assault and examinations for bodily fluids. We are putting every piece of the puzzle together to determine what led to the argument and what the motive for the killing was. The forensic results are still pending.
'As for the previous suitcase cases, we have not found any link to Simon's case.
'Looking at the overall pattern of the crimes, when someone commits a murder and needs to dispose of body parts, it is only natural that they would look for something to carry them in without attracting attention.
'Simon has no previous criminal record in Thailand. As for his background overseas, we do not know whether he has any criminal history or a record of violent behaviour. That is something we will need assistance from the relevant embassy to verify.
'Regarding Simon's statement that the victim held a knife to his throat first, we do not treat the suspect's account as established fact. The victim is no longer alive to respond or defend herself, so we do not place significant weight on his version of events. We also do not want the media to repeat his claims in a way that could be seen as justifying the suspect's actions or unfairly tarnishing the reputation of someone who can no longer speak for herself.
'The knife found at the scene was simply a knife kept in the room where he was living. It is normal for a rented apartment to have kitchen knives, such as a fruit knife.
'He had been living in Thailand since last year on a tourist visa, which he extended in May 2026. Before settling in Pattaya, we do not know where he had been staying, but we believe he was likely travelling around like many other tourists.
'We interviewed neighbours to find out whether he had ever caused problems or disturbed other residents. No one reported any such behaviour.
'They described him as friendly and someone who often greeted people. No neighbour mentioned seeing him regularly bringing women back to his room.
'As for what he may have done outside the condominium, we simply do not know.'
