BANGKOK — Police said Wednesday they have summoned a singer for further questioning over suspicions that he killed his girlfriend and covered it up as an accident.
Suphanee Sinanantrakul, 27, was found dead by rescue workers in the bathroom of Pongpetch Sinsuwan’s home Saturday after they responded to a fire there. A local police chief said Pongpetch had ignored a previous summons by the police, so they will as a court to issue a warrant for him to appear.
Khu Khot Police Station chief Samitti Sarod also told reporters that investigators are questioning other witnesses but declined to disclose further details citing the ongoing investigation.
Pongpetch, or Ball Bangkaew, has denied any wrongdoing. He told the media a fire started at a shrine on the second floor while Suphanee was showering in a nearby bathroom, trapping her. Pongpetch, his sister and mother managed to flee unharmed.
The singer said he tried to save Suphanee but could not reach her because of the fire, a claim his sister Pongchomphu Sinsuwan repeated.
“My brother tried to go in there three times,” Pongchomphu told reporters, adding that her house had experienced occasional electrical problems since the 2011 floods.
A formal autopsy was yet to be released, but Suphanee’s father Banyat Sinanantrakul told the media he believes she was killed by Pongpetch. He filed a complaint to police Sunday, urging them to investigate.
Banyat also alleged that Pongpetch had a history of physical violence against his daughter.
“I’m confident she was murdered,” he said. “My daughter’s boyfriend is a violent man. She complained to me many times … I already told him not to date that man. But my daughter loves him.”
Pongpetch and his twin brother are members of rock-pop band Bangkaew, which rose to fame in the early 2000s. Their latest album was released in 2012.
