Crime of Passion: Thai-French Murder Couple Bid Farewell (Video)

Amaury Rigaud and Rujira Iemlamai kiss Jan. 31 at Bueng Na Rang Police Station in Phichit Province.
Amaury Rigaud and Rujira Iemlamai kiss Jan. 31 at Bueng Na Rang Police Station in Phichit Province.

PHICHIT — A French-Thai couple bid a poignant farewell Wednesday before being led away to await trial for the murder of an Italian man.

Amaury Rigaud and Rujira Iemlamai, a couple with a history of violence and infidelity that now includes confessions of murdering her husband, shared a passionate kiss goodbye Wednesday at the police station where they have been held since their capture earlier this week. Rujira joined her lover in confessing to the murder of Giuseppe de Stefani, clearing the way for both to be tried for murder.

“We will probably never see each other again,” Rujira said to Rigaud after he asked police to see her one last time. When police allowed them to meet in front of the police station, Rigaud ran to Rujira and kissed her deeply.

They were then taken to the Phichit Provincial Court to await trial.

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Rigaud, 33, asked Police Col. Chaisathian Maneejak to take care of his dog Gina.

“When I get out of jail, I’ll come back for my dog, so please take care of her,” Rigaud said.

The couple also hugged Rujira’s son, 12, and daughter, 6, both visibly distraught as they saw a bawling Rigaud and their mother depart.

“The rest is up to the court. If they propose bail, we will contest it since this crime is so dreadful,” said Chaisathian, who has claimed to have had dreams in which de Stefani visited him.

Read: Frenchman Confesses to Murdering Girlfriend’s Italian Husband

Chaisathian said Rujira had no visitors – not even from her mother – who was reportedly embarrassed by her daughter’s crime.

“She feels humiliated that the locals are berating her daughter,” Chaisathian said.

Rigaud, Chaisathian said, was a sniper in the French army before he came to Thailand. Rigaud overstayed his visa, was blacklisted and illegally entered Thailand multiple times across less-scrutinized land borders such as that shared with Laos.

Police noted that Rigaud and Rujira had used the Frenchman’s “military prowess” to flee and evade police for 10 days by using nine cans of black spray paint to paint their getaway vehicle, which was stocked with a large quantities of coffee, bread, mosquito repellent and instant noodles.

Both have now confessed to the Jan. 19 murder of 61-year-old de Stefani, whose body they dismembered and attempted to incinerate.

“It’s an awful business,” Chaisathian said. “Finally the curtain closes on this case because we found these two. It was all because of a love triangle.”

Rigaud and Rujira look at each other Wednesday in Phichit.
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