Police arrested suspect American Tyler Gerard, 21, in Sa Kaeo province while he was trying to enter Cambodia.
Gerard reportedly confessed to police his role in the kidnapping and murder of Schneider.
Investigating officers were informed that Bagnato and the three other suspects, believed to be foreigners, had fled Thailand, but subsequent reports have led to police scouring the country for the four men. (See story here.)
Schneider was kidnapped from his rented home at Jomtien Park Villas in Bang Lamung district of Pattaya early Monday (Nov 30), then murdered and his body body buried in a wooded area of neighbouring Sattahip district.
Schneider’s naked body was found with a broken neck in a 1.8-metre grave on the Khao Cheechan hill yesterday (Dec 2).
“We have been given specific orders to focus on members of a mafia and gangs,” said Col Teeraphol Thipjaroen, Deputy Commander of Phuket Provincial Police.
“We are working with Immigration police on it, and I am confident that similar incidents will not happen in Phuket.”
Col Teerapol noted that most “bikers” in Phuket were not involved in violence.
“So far, we have found that they are mostly old men,” he said. “They do not engage in harmful behaviour, as they seem to be at peace here, but we are still keeping our eye on them.”