Three Thai women who murdered their karaoke bar colleague before butchering her body and dumping her remains in bin liners, have been jailed for a combined 127 years.
Preeyanuch Nonwangchai, Apiwan Satayabundit, and Kawita Ratchada, were dubbed the ‘Murder Babes’ after the killing of Warissara Klinjui, 23, in Khon Kaen, northern Thailand last May.
Nonwangchai, now 25, and Ratchada, 26, strangled fellow prostitute Klinjui after an argument, before calling in Satayabundit, 28, and another friend to chop up the victim’s body and bury the parts in a shallow grave.
Murder babes: Ringleader Preeyanuch Nonwangchai, right, and friend Apiwan Satayabundit, left, have been jailed for the murder of their colleague Warissara Klinjui, 23, last May
Police quickly linked them to the murder, and the trio fled to neighbouring Laos and looked for work in massage parlours.
Not long after, all three were arrested while out shopping for designer clothes.
While in custody, pictures emerged of the group laughing, smoking, and posing for selfies with police officers, seemingly star struck by the beautiful murderers who had become well-known in the Thai press.
Nonwangchai and Ratchada had worked in the same bar as the victim, where prostituted could be hired for the evening.
But the group fell out after Klinjui reported Nonwangchai’s boyfriend to police for selling drugs.
Victim: Warissara Klinjui, 23, had gotten into an argument with ringleader Nonwangchai, who strangled her along with Ratchada
Gruesome: Police are seen at the crime scene where the body of Klinjui was found butchered and buried in a shallow grave
Casual killers: The ‘murder babes’ trio are seen being given cigarettes while in custody
Special treatment: After their arrest, photos emerged of the pretty trio getting party food and cigarettes in jail
Nonwangchai and Ratchada lured the victim to her death after picking her up in a rented car and telling her they wanted to discuss a job offer.
Nonwangchai with help from Ratchada strangled Klinjui, and Satayabundit and a male friend later helped to dispose of the body.
Lurid details previously emerged of how Nonwangchai would charge men up to 5,000 baht a night for her services – and made money on the side as a webcamera model.
She was a regular user of methamphetamine and had drugs fuelled sex sessions with customers and other women.
Yesterday, the gang were jailed for a combined 127 years over the grisly murder which had seen the ring leader Nonwangchai nick-named ‘butcher Praew’.
Moneymaker: Nonwangchai would charge men up to 5,000 baht a night for her services – and made money on the side as a webcamera model.
Khon Kaen Court sentenced Nonwangchai and Rachada to life in prison, reduced to 34 years and six month each after the confessed and co-operated.
The two girls were found guilty of conspiring to murder Klinjui, conspiring to destroy and hide her body and conspiring in theft.
The third member of the ”murder babes’, Satayabundit was found guilty of conspiracy to murder, conspiracy to destroy and hide the body, and taking methamphetamine, and was handed 33 years and nine months in jail.
Their male friend Wasin Namprom, 22, was found guilty of being an accessory to the murder, conspiring to destroy and hide the body, and conspiring in theft and sentenced to 23 years, four months and 20 days.
The four were ordered to pay 1.07 million baht (£24,781) to support the family of the victim, Warisara Klinjui, 22, and 100,000 baht (£2,316) for her funeral.
A fifth defendant, Jidarat Promkhun, 23, was sentenced to one year for receiving the victim’s stolen phone to sell.