British businessman, 33, 'stabbed to death by wife, 20, at luxury villa in Thailand'
A British businessman was found stabbed to death, allegedly by his wife at their luxury villa in Thailand.
Thomas David Powell, 33, from Stoke-on-Trent, was reportedly set upon with a 20-inch machete by Isabelle Violet Carreras, 20, from Stafford, at the upmarket home in the party resort Pattaya.
Blood sprayed across the furniture as he scrambled to escape before collapsing on the floor.
Thomas's body was discovered on Thursday morning, when his British friend Charlie, 33, became concerned that his phone was unreachable.
Charlie then rushed to the luxury housing estate in the Bang Lamung district, where he found the villa in disarray and Thomas's corpse in the shower before calling the police.
Footage shows the flame-haired 'femme fatale' being confronted over the dead body.
She said: 'It was after he did it, he realised how much he was bleeding and he was walking around and I tried calling an ambulance but I couldn't call an ambulance in time, I don't want him to go.'
His wife showed police a machete in the sink before she was taken into custody.
Officers found blood stains on the tiles and cabinets, while blood-soaked towels and rags were strewn across the floor from suspected attempts to clean up the scene.
The bedroom was marked by a long trail of dried blood leading to the bathroom, where Thomas's body was reportedly dragged into the shower. His head rested on a pillow while he was covered in a grey blanket.
Carreras was lying next to him in tears.
Police said the businessman is believed to have been dead for around six hours before being discovered.
His wife claimed his death was a suicide, adding that he was 'really into grass recently' and that he 'had been taking six strips of Valium daily'.
Investigators said evidence at the scene contradicted her claims. They reportedly found cuts on Isabelle's fingers and signs of a struggle at the property. The 20-inch machete discovered in the kitchen sink had allegedly been washed and wiped clean.
The deceased, who reportedly ran a large cannabis farm in Soi Bang Lamung 14, also had several stab wounds on his back.
Neighbours said the couple moved into the house just two weeks earlier, and were often heard arguing.
A resident said they heard loud barking the previous night. At around 2 am, a courier arrived to deliver dog food, but no one answered the door, raising suspicions.
Police Colonel Nattapon Phongsuksakul said officers were reviewing CCTV at the home to determine what really happened.
He said: ‘It is a murder case inside a house, with the body ultimately being found in the bathroom.
‘We are currently investigating what exactly the deceased did for a living and where he operated the cannabis business.
‘They had only been staying at the villa for seven days, but whether they were in Thailand before that is something we are still investigating.
‘The wife denied committing the murder. However, based on the wounds, it is difficult for us to accept that claim because there was clearly a stab wound to the back.
‘There were multiple injuries across the body, including both slash and stab wounds. The fatal wound was a stab to the left side of the back, showing a direct plunging motion.
‘We firmly believe this was not a suicide as she claimed. What makes us doubt her account further is that she washed the knife.
‘The weapon used was a machete, and washing it suggests an attempt to conceal evidence. There is also CCTV footage from inside the house.
‘Other evidence remains under investigation.
‘The incident occurred shortly after 4 am, but no one was notified until around 9.30 am, when a friend in England was contacted.
‘It appears the wife did not know who to call, so she made a WhatsApp call to a friend in England, saying that a murder had occurred and that her boyfriend was dead inside the house.
‘The friend then contacted Charlie, who lives in Thailand, and asked him to check the house. Instead of calling a doctor or the police from around 4.30 am, when his life might still have been saved, she chose not to do so.
‘The actual scene of the attack was not the bathroom. The stabbing took place in another room, but the deceased did not die immediately.
‘He ran away and, apparently unable to withstand the severity of his injuries, collapsed and died in the bathroom. We are currently gathering evidence.
‘As for the DNA examination, we must wait for the forensic analysis.
‘We cannot yet confirm whether she was intoxicated by cannabis at the time of the incident, but it is confirmed that cannabis had been smoked.
‘There is evidence at the scene and a strong smell of cannabis throughout the house. We are treating this as a murder case, not self-defence.
‘We have made an arrest and will proceed with legal action.'
Thailand decriminalised marijuana in 2022, making it the first Asian nation to do so.
However, the lack of regulations caused a surge in unregulated sales and use, especially in tourist areas like Bangkok, Phuket, and Pattaya, alongside reports linking the drug to violence and public disorder.
Government officials are now seeking to outlaw recreational cannabis use by requiring medical certificates to purchase the drug.
