Mother-of-one Korawika Wiwek, 35, is shot dead before her young daughter after screaming for help. Suspect Anont Samrit, 27, flees in his pickup before mud ends his getaway as police probe claims involving drugs and a recent arrest.
A 35-year-old mother was shot dead in front of her young daughter in Nakhon Nayok after fleeing an armed confrontation and screaming for help. Police say Anont Samrit, 27, then sped away in a pickup before becoming trapped in mud and hiding at a friend’s home. He was arrested the next day and confessed, blaming anger over claims he was high on drugs and hallucinating. However, the victim’s family says another bitter dispute centred on suspicions she tipped off police about her former husband’s drug arrest. CCTV and audio captured parts of the deadly confrontation, leaving investigators to determine the precise motive.
A 35-year-old woman was shot dead in front of her young daughter after a furious dispute in Nakhon Nayok. Her suspected killer then raced away in a pickup truck before becoming trapped in mud. Police arrested Anont Samrit, 27, the following day after he sought refuge at a friend’s home.
The victim was Korawika Wiwek, known as Yui, from Pakha subdistrict in Ban Na district. She suffered a gunshot wound through her left temple late Tuesday, August 11. The bullet remained lodged inside her head. Crucially, her terrified daughter was only metres away when her mother was killed.
Police received the emergency call at about 11 pm. Pol Lt Col Suriya Phumawat, an investigator at Ban Na Police Station, immediately headed to the scene. The shooting occurred outside a car repair shop in Thonglang subdistrict. There, officers found Ms Korawika already dead.
Police find woman shot through temple as they begin reconstructing her final minutes of violence
Ban Na Police Station Superintendent Pol Col Mongkol Toepao joined the response. Pol Lt Col Wuttipong Chin-im, deputy superintendent of investigations, also attended. Separately, Pol Lt Col Thepsin Wichirawat, deputy superintendent for investigation, joined the inquiry. A Ban Na Hospital doctor and rescue workers were also summoned.
At the scene, Ms Korawika was wearing a short-sleeved floral shirt and white shorts. Police found the gunshot had entered her left temple. The projectile remained inside her head. Subsequently, rescue workers removed her body for a detailed autopsy.
Her body was transferred to Somdej Phra Thep Rattanarajsuda Medical Centre in Ongkharak. The facility is operated by Srinakharinwirot University. In parallel, detectives began piecing together the violent final minutes before the shooting.
One crucial witness was Wiwat Buakhao, 40, known as Chang Pae. He owns the garage where Ms Korawika collapsed and died. Mr Wiwat said she was his girlfriend’s sister-in-law. Her family had built a roadside hut directly opposite his repair shop.
Witness says victim crossed road with young daughter for help before a single fatal gunshot rang out
Ms Korawika’s husband worked as a road construction contractor in another province. Accordingly, he worked away and sent money home to his wife and children. The quiet roadside setting changed abruptly when Mr Anont arrived in his pickup truck.
An argument quickly followed. At that point, Ms Korawika crossed the road with her daughter and sought help. Mr Wiwat came outside and attempted to defuse the dispute. He told everyone to return home and stop arguing.
As part of this, Mr Wiwat picked up his telephone and pretended to make a call. Seconds later, a gunshot shattered the confrontation. He immediately rushed outside and found Ms Korawika fatally wounded. Her young daughter stood nearby, terrified and crying.
Meanwhile, Mr Anont climbed into his pickup truck and sped away. Mr Wiwat told investigators he did not know what sparked the argument. Yet the victim’s sister later gave reporters a more detailed account of the confrontation.
According to her, the trouble had begun inside Ms Korawika’s home. The victim was eating with her young daughter when Mr Anont suddenly entered. He was carrying a gun, the sister said. He then threatened Ms Korawika and tried to force her into a vehicle.
Victim resisted suspect and screamed for help before being shot as her young daughter stood nearby
However, Ms Korawika resisted and screamed for help. The confrontation then spilt towards the garage across the road. Notably, CCTV cameras captured significant parts of the incident. Moments later, the fatal gunshot rang out.
Ms Korawika was killed with her daughter nearby. The family described the child as three years old. Mr Wiwat’s account placed her age at four. Either way, the youngster witnessed the bloody aftermath at close range.
The victim’s sister later voiced her anguish over the killing. “Why couldn’t they talk things out? Why do this? Don’t they have any pity for the child?” she said.
In response, police launched an immediate manhunt for Mr Anont. Investigators from Nakhon Nayok Provincial Police joined the Ban Na investigation team. By then, their suspect was already fleeing through the province in his pickup truck.
But the getaway suddenly collapsed. The pickup became bogged down in mud and could not move further. As a result, Mr Anont was forced to abandon his escape by vehicle. He then headed to a friend’s house and sought shelter.
Suspect’s pickup became trapped in mud during getaway before police arrested him at a friend’s home
Police caught up with him on Wednesday, August 12. Officers arrested the 27-year-old and took him into custody. Soon afterwards, investigators returned him to the killing scene for a reenactment.
During the procedure, Mr Anont took officers through his actions as part of his confession. He also offered a brief explanation for the fatal attack.
“She insulted me, she tried to challenge me. It was just a momentary lapse of judgment. I want to apologise to the deceased.”
Behind that statement, however, detectives were examining a deeper dispute. Mr Anont claimed Ms Korawika had been talking about his suspected drug use. He said she told other people he was high on drugs and hallucinating.
According to Mr Anont, those comments damaged his reputation. He said he became increasingly angry and resentful towards Ms Korawika. Eventually, he claimed, that resentment led him to enter her home before the shooting.
Suspect blames drug accusations for his anger as detectives examine a deeper dispute behind shooting
On another front, the victim’s family presented investigators with a different source for the hostility. Their account centred on Ms Korawika’s former husband. Police had arrested him on drug charges approximately one week earlier.
Ms Korawika had separated from her former husband several years ago. Their daughter was about one year old when the relationship ended. Nevertheless, relatives said that the arrest triggered suspicions in Mr Anont’s mind.
They said he believed Ms Korawika had tipped off police about her former husband. Specifically, he suspected she provided information that resulted in the drug arrest. Ms Korawika repeatedly denied doing so, according to her family.
Still, Mr Anont reportedly refused to believe those denials. Consequently, the accusation became a repeated source of arguments between the pair. The dispute was still simmering when he arrived at her home Tuesday night.
Significantly, detectives have not treated Mr Anont’s account as the final explanation for the killing. Instead, investigators have turned to CCTV footage and audio captured around the shooting. That material may provide a clearer picture of the dispute.
Police said the recording contains an argument connected with information about a police arrest. Yet sections of the audio remain unclear. Investigators are therefore comparing the recording with accounts from the suspect, witnesses and relatives.
Family says suspect blamed victim for former husband’s drugs arrest as police examine CCTV and audio
At the same time, CCTV footage is helping detectives reconstruct the movements before the gunshot. The family’s account places Mr Anont inside Ms Korawika’s home with a firearm. He then allegedly tried to force her into his vehicle.
Ms Korawika resisted. She screamed for help and moved towards the garage with her daughter. Across the road, Mr Wiwat saw the confrontation and intervened. He ordered those involved to stop arguing and return home.
Moments afterwards, Mr Wiwat heard the single shot. He raced outside and found Ms Korawika dead. Beside her was the young girl who had crossed the road with her mother. The child was crying and terrified.
By contrast, Mr Anont was already making his escape. He drove away in his pickup before the vehicle became hopelessly stuck in mud. With the truck immobilised, he sought shelter at his friend’s home. Police found him there the next day.
Following his arrest, officers brought him back to the roadside crime scene. He participated in the reenactment and admitted a momentary loss of judgement. He also apologised to the woman he had shot.
Even so, investigators are digging into the competing explanations for what drove the confrontation. One involves claims that Ms Korawika accused Mr Anont of being high and hallucinating. The other centres on the former husband’s drugs arrest.
CCTV helps police retrace armed confrontation as suspect flees before his pickup becomes stuck in mud
Importantly, police have physical recordings to test those accounts. Detectives are examining the CCTV images alongside the partially audible argument. They are also gathering further evidence surrounding the earlier drugs arrest.
For now, investigators are working to establish exactly what was said before the gunshot. They are also reconstructing how the confrontation moved from the home towards the garage. Witness statements are being checked against the recordings.
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The central sequence, however, is already stark. Mr Anont arrived in a pickup truck and became embroiled in an argument. Ms Korawika fled towards the garage with her daughter. A gunshot followed, leaving the 35-year-old dead outside.
Then came the failed getaway. Mr Anont fled in his pickup, only for mud to stop the vehicle. He took refuge at a friend’s house before police arrested him the next day.
Now, Nakhon Nayok investigators are completing their evidence gathering and working to establish the precise motive. The case will then proceed through further legal action against the 27-year-old suspect.
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