Thailand detains British man in ‘Lady of the Hills’ mystery

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David Armitage, 62, the British husband of murder victim Lamduan Seekanya, has reportedly had his Thai visa revoked after being detained by Thai authorities. His arrest comes more than two decades after Lamduan’s semi-naked body was discovered in a Yorkshire Dales stream in 2004, a case that puzzled investigators for years.

Nicknamed the "Lady of the Hills," Lamduan, 36, remained unidentified for 15 years until a renewed police appeal in 2019 prompted her family in Thailand to come forward. DNA testing confirmed her identity, reigniting the investigation into her death.

Lamduan’s body was found by hikers in September 2004, wearing only socks and jeans, with a ripped bra hanging from her arm. A T-shirt was found nearby, but her shoes were never recovered. Due to the advanced state of decomposition, pathologists were unable to determine a cause of death, though they ruled out blunt force trauma, stabbing, or gunshot wounds. Hypothermia was considered a possibility, but police classified her death as suspicious due to the lack of a missing person report and evidence suggesting her body had been moved.

Armitage met Lamduan in 1990 while teaching English in Chiang Mai, Thailand. They married and moved to the UK, where they lived with Armitage’s parents in Burton-in-Kendal, Cumbria, along with their two children. Lamduan also had a son from a previous relationship who now resides in Belfast.

Following Lamduan’s disappearance, Armitage returned to Thailand, settling in Kanchanaburi near the Burmese border. He works as an English teacher at Rajabhat University and has consistently denied involvement in his wife’s death. In a 2019 interview, he stated, “I didn’t kill my wife. Absolutely not.”

Despite his claims, Thai immigration police detained Armitage on January 26, 2025, for visa violations. Officials revoked his visa and are now coordinating with international authorities. North Yorkshire Police, leading the investigation into Lamduan’s death, confirmed they were aware of Armitage’s detention. A spokesperson stated that if he is deported, efforts will be made to question him about his wife’s death.

Lamduan’s parents, who reported her missing to Thai police shortly after her disappearance, believe the marriage was troubled. Armitage reportedly told their children that Lamduan had left him for another man.

For years, Lamduan’s body lay in an unmarked grave in a Ribblesdale churchyard, her headstone inscribed with “The Lady of the Hills. Found 20th Sept 2004. Name Not Known. Rest in Peace.” The discovery of her identity has brought her family some closure, but questions about her death remain unanswered. Detectives believe Lamduan may have been killed weeks before her body was discovered, and her husband’s refusal to file a missing person report has further deepened suspicions.

With Armitage’s detention, investigators hope to finally uncover the truth behind Lamduan’s mysterious death and bring closure to a case that has haunted two nations for over 20 years.

Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk