Police have called off an international manhunt after the suspect in the murder of an Airbnb landlord was detained over links to crimes abroad.
Kamonnan Thiamphanit was found stabbed to death at a Grade II-listed property in Stanhope Place, Bayswater, on April 8 last year.
The Chinese-Thai businesswoman had been living in the UK for 12 years and had been renting out the property as an Airbnb.
At an inquest held in April of last year, DCI Alison Foxwell confirmed that the alleged suspect was believed to have fled the UK. The suspect is thought to have used a holiday rental app to impersonate a potential tenant for Ms Thiamphanit’s townhouse before allegedly stabbing the 27-year-old to death.
It is understood the individual accused of Ms Thiamphanit’s murder had been linked to several crimes in other countries before his detention, according to The Times.
Ms Thiamphanit’s partner of two years, Chris Zeng, and her mother, Fiona Fu, received a call from Metropolitan Police to say the months-long manhunt had come to a halt and that the lead suspect had been detained.
Speaking to The Times from Ratchaburi, Thailand, Mr Zeng said he was doing “very badly” before the news, adding “I couldn’t think of anything else.”
He said he had been “obsessing over” the murder and finding the person responsible, as well as what really happened.
It is his hope that the lead suspect will be brought to the UK and that Ms Thiamphanit’s family can have their questions answered.
Ms Thiamphanit’s family claimed that she had agreed to rent out her home on April 5 for £30,000 to a man who had contacted her through Airbnb.
Friends of Ms Thiamphanit visited the property after Mr Zeng received what he described as “suspicious” messages on Airbnb, from someone he believes was the murderer posing as his girlfriend.
However, it was not until April 8 that officers arrived and discovered a body.
According to The Times, British police now have to wait until the separate matter that the suspect has been arrested for abroad has been dealt with before he can be considered for extradition to the UK.
It is understood the suspect was identified using street CCTV.
The family have not been told the suspect’s nationality or which country he was arrested in.
