Former Thai police chief convicted in viral torture case found dead in prison

Former Thai police chief Thitisan Utthanaphon, who was serving a life sentence for the torture and killing of a drug suspect, was found dead in his Bangkok prison cell, authorities confirmed. The high-profile case, which shocked the nation in 2021, has resurfaced as questions arise over the circumstances of his apparent suicide.

Nicknamed “Joe Ferrari” for his extravagant collection of luxury cars, Thitisan was sentenced to life in prison after a leaked video showed him and several colleagues suffocating 24-year-old drug suspect Jirapong Thanapat by wrapping plastic bags around his head during an interrogation. The video, which sparked national outrage and reignited concerns over police brutality in Thailand, has once again gone viral following his death.

According to a preliminary autopsy, Thitisan died by suicide. However, his family has expressed doubts, prompting Thailand’s justice ministry to launch an investigation. Authorities stated that further tests are needed to confirm the exact cause of death.

Thitisan’s family has cast suspicion over the circumstances surrounding his death. They alleged that he had previously been assaulted by a prison staffer and claimed that officials did not allow them to see his body, which was discovered in his cell on Friday.

Despite these claims, the Department of Corrections released a statement on Sunday, asserting that “no prison officer or inmate has harmed or caused [his] death.” Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong has since called for full transparency, urging prison authorities to cooperate with investigators and ensure that all evidence is disclosed.

Prior to his conviction, Thitisan’s lavish lifestyle had raised eyebrows. A police raid on his residence uncovered an astonishing fleet of luxury cars, including at least 42 high-end vehicles, among them a Lamborghini Aventador Anniversario, one of only 100 in existence, valued at 47 million baht ($1.45 million; £1.05 million). This extravagant wealth was highly suspicious, given that his monthly police salary was only about $1,000.

Authorities suspected that Thitisan had amassed his fortune through corruption and bribery, with allegations that he extorted money from drug suspects, including Jirapong, during interrogations. However, Thitisan denied these accusations.

Following the public uproar caused by the leaked video, Thitisan was the subject of a manhunt before eventually surrendering in 2021. In 2022, he and five other officers were convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison for their roles in Jirapong’s death.

Jirapong’s father, speaking to local media on Saturday, responded to Thitisan’s death by saying, “It’s like he has paid off the karma he committed.”

Thitisan had reportedly been struggling with anxiety and sleep disorders, for which he had consulted prison doctors, according to the Department of Corrections. His family had also lodged previous complaints, alleging that he was being bullied and physically assaulted by prison officers earlier this year.

Authorities stated that Thitisan’s family had visited him on the day of his death, and that prison staff had not noticed any “abnormalities” prior to his passing. As investigations continue, questions remain over whether his death was indeed a suicide or if foul play was involved.

This case, which had already exposed deep-seated issues of police corruption and brutality in Thailand, has once again become a topic of national debate, as calls for justice and transparency grow louder.