A British man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his Thai wife, whose body was found in the Yorkshire Dales over two decades ago.
Lamduan Armitage’s half-clothed body was discovered in a stream near Pen-y-ghent in 2004 by walkers.
However, her identity remained a mystery for 15 years until her family in Thailand recognized her from a BBC News report and came forward.
Her husband, David Armitage, had been residing in Thailand since her death. However, his resident visa was revoked by Thai authorities, forcing him to return to the UK, where he was taken into custody.
Confirming the arrest, North Yorkshire Police stated, “A 61-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Lamduan Armitage in 2004. He remains in police custody for questioning.”
Before his deportation, Mr. Armitage was detained last Thursday at his residence in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. He was then transferred to the Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre.
Since he did not submit an immigration petition, he lost his right to stay in the country. Upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport on Saturday morning, he was immediately apprehended by police, the BBC reports.
Although Mr. Armitage has not made a direct statement to the BBC, The Sun previously reported that he denied any involvement in his wife’s death.
For years, Mrs. Armitage, née Seekanya, was referred to as “The Lady of the Hills” as authorities struggled to determine her identity and the circumstances surrounding her demise.
Her body, found on 20 September 2004, showed no signs of violence, and hypothermia was ruled out. However, investigators were left with two unanswered questions—who she was and how she died.
A fresh review of the case began in 2016, utilizing advancements in forensic science. This led to the conclusion that she had been killed. In 2019, a significant breakthrough came when a Thai family, upon reading about the case, suspected that the unidentified woman could be their missing daughter. DNA tests later confirmed her identity.
Further investigations revealed that she had moved to the UK in 1991 after marrying Mr. Armitage in Thailand. The couple had been living in northern England before she died.
