Relatives of Pol Col Thitisan “Joe Ferrari” Utthanaphon assert that he did not die by suicide in prison and have requested a post-mortem examination to reveal the actual circumstances of his death.
Thitisan, a former police officer found guilty of torturing and killing a drug suspect in 2021, was discovered deceased in his cell at Klong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok late Friday night.
The Department of Corrections confirmed that prison officials were alerted to an inmate’s death on Friday at 8:50 pm. The inmate was found seated by his cell door with bruised fingers and no signs of life, a towel tied around his neck and attached to the door.
Thitisan was later confirmed to be the individual found deceased, having served three years and six months of a life sentence in Zone 5 of the prison.
Surveillance footage confirmed that his cell had not been accessed, and an ongoing autopsy aims to clarify the exact cause of his death.
Officials reported that Thitisan was visited by his wife at noon on Friday, during which no unusual activities were noted by the prison officers.
It was also noted that Thitisan suffered from several health issues, including an anxiety disorder, for which he had been under continuous medical treatment and medication.
His latest psychiatric consultation occurred on February 18, during which he expressed paranoia about potential attacks from fellow inmates.
Thitisan was diagnosed with dyslipidemia, an imbalance in cholesterol levels, and essential tremor, a neurological disorder that results in involuntary hand tremors.
Despite these challenges, his family strongly believes he did not take his own life, citing a prior assault by a prison official during his time in custody.
According to reports on February 26, his mother filed a complaint with the director-general of the Department of Corrections, demanding an investigation into the assault.
She recounted an incident in January when Thitisan reported a fellow prisoner for breaking prison rules by watching pornography on a mobile phone, which led to him being scolded and physically attacked by a prison official for insubordination.
She also alleged that a prison official confiscated Thitisan’s legal documents necessary for court proceedings during an altercation.
His mother further claimed that such harassment was frequent among inmates, significantly affecting Thitisan’s mental well-being and exacerbating his conditions.
Thitisan’s attorney, Weerasak Nakhin, stated that Thitisan had instructed him to lodge a police complaint concerning the assault. He also secured a medical certificate detailing his injuries.
Mr. Weerasak reported that police were denied entry to question the implicated prison official at Klong Prem Central Prison by the prison commander. He plans to request that Thitisan’s body remain at Thammasat University Hospital in Pathum Thani for an autopsy.
Thitisan, aged 43, along with five others, were indicted for the murder of 24-year-old drug suspect Chiraphong Thanapat, who was suffocated with seven black plastic bags over his head at Muang district station in Nakhon Sawan on August 5, 2021.
The prosecution argued that the officers attempted to extort 2 million baht from Chiraphong in exchange for his release.
Although Thitisan confessed to ordering the torture of the suspect, he maintained that his intention was to gather intelligence about local drug operations.
The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct initially handed down death sentences, which were subsequently reduced to life imprisonment.
