BANGKOK (AFP) – A former Thai police officer serving life in prison for murder was found dead in his cell and an investigation into his death has been launched, prison officials said yesterday.
Thitisan Utthanaphon, nicknamed “Joe Ferrari” for his vast collection of luxury sportscars and flashy lifestyle, was found guilty of murder in 2022 for torturing a suspect to death during a brutal interrogation.
The high-profile case caused public outrage and shone a rare light on police brutality and corruption in the kingdom.
Thitisan was discovered unresponsive in his cell in a Bangkok prison on Friday night, Thailand’s Department of Corrections said in a statement.
“Prison officials have been informed that one inmate named Thitisan Utthanaphon has been found dead,” the statement said.
The 44-year-old was found sitting against his cell door with “bruised fingers and no pulse”, the statement said.
CCTV footage showed nobody had entered the cell, but an autopsy is being conducted to determine the cause of death.
