Two-Decade Manhunt for Jealous Gunman Ends as Fugitive is Arrested in Phuket After Killing Wife

Phuket –

Police have successfully apprehended a fugitive in Phuket who evaded justice for nearly 20 years in a high-profile wife murder case.

Officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) arrested 65-year-old Mr. Sawai on Sri Suthat Road in Phuket Town, following a meticulous investigation that traced his movements across multiple provinces. He was wanted under a 2006 warrant issued by the Nakhon Ratchasima Provincial Court for charges including murder, illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, and carrying a weapon in public without authorization.

The case, which was set to expire under the statute of limitations in September 2026, involved the fatal shooting of Mr. Sawai’s wife. According to his confession, the crime stemmed from jealousy and suspicion that she was romantically involved with another man. During a heated argument, he fired two shots from a .22 caliber pistol, killing her instantly before fleeing the scene.

Investigators revealed that after the crime, Mr. Sawai sold the murder weapon to a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok for 4,000 baht to fund his escape. He then changed his name and relocated repeatedly, working as a welder in Chiang Mai, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and finally Phuket. To avoid detection, he severed all ties with his family and lived quietly under a new identity.

As the statute of limitations approached, CSD officers intensified their efforts, piecing together leads that eventually confirmed his presence in Phuket. Surveillance and evidence gathering led to his arrest, ending a manhunt that spanned almost two decades.

Mr. Sawai has confessed to all charges and is now in custody, awaiting prosecution. Authorities said that the arrest shows their commitment to ensuring justice, even in cases long thought to have gone cold.