PATTAYA, THAILAND – In the conclusion to a case that captured international attention, the Pattaya Provincial Court has sentenced three individuals to death for the brutal murder, dismemberment, and subsequent concealment of German real estate businessman, Hans Peter Ralter Mack, aged 62. The crime, which took place on July 5th, 2023, in Pattaya, involved a plot to lure, kill, and dismember Mack, with his remains later found in a freezer.
The convicted individuals include Mr. Olaf Thorsten Brinkmann, 52, Ms. Phetcha Kristel Grundgriff, 54, both German nationals, and Mr. Shahrukh Kareem Uddin, 27, a Thai national of Pakistani descent. The trio orchestrated the murder, subsequently cutting Mack’s body into pieces with intentions to dispose of it at sea, and illicitly transferred 3,350,000 baht from Mack’s account, said the court in the case.
The investigation, led by Provincial Police Region 2 and Nongprue Police Station, pieced together a narrative of deceit and murder through witness testimonies, documentary, material, and forensic evidence. Despite the suspects initially denying the charges, the evidence was compelling enough to proceed to trial. The case was forwarded to the Pattaya Provincial Prosecutor, leading to a lawsuit filed in the Pattaya Provincial Court.
On the afternoon of December 20th, 2024, the court delivered its verdict in Criminal Case No. 970/2566 and Criminal Case No. 1514/2567. The defendants were charged with premeditated murder and concealment of a corpse. Both Brinkmann and Grundgriff confessed during the trial, which led to their sentences being reduced from death to life imprisonment. Conversely, Uddin contested the charges throughout the proceedings, but the court still sentenced him to death. Uddin had consistently claimed he was forced to participate by Brinkmann against his will but the court disagreed. There was no immediate clarification on if Uddin plans to appeal his verdict.
The sentences reflect the gravity of the crimes committed, though the confessions by two of the defendants led to a slight leniency in sentencing. TPN Media covered this case extensively during 2023 and it was one of our biggest stories of the year.
