‘Ms. Cyanide’ Sentenced to Death for Poisoning 14 Friends Over Gambling Debts and Stolen Money
( Image: Thailand Police)
A Bangkok court has sentenced Sararat Rangsiwuthaporn, infamously dubbed “Ms. Cyanide,” to death after finding her guilty of murdering 14 friends with cyanide due to alleged financial motives. The 36-year-old was found to have a serious gambling addiction and owed her victims significant sums of money.
The case that led to her conviction involved the April 2023 murder of her friend, Siriporn Khanwong. The two had met to release fish into the Mae Klong River as part of a Buddhist ritual. Prosecutors revealed that Khanwong collapsed and died after a meal during the outing. Traces of cyanide were later discovered in her body, prompting an investigation, told The Sun.
Police turned their attention to Rangsiwuthaporn following complaints from Khanwong’s mother and sister. Investigators uncovered that Rangsiwuthaporn frequently borrowed money from her friends, only to kill them when they demanded repayment.
The Guardian reported, “She asked people she knows for money because she has a lot of credit card debt, and if they asked her for their money back, she started killing them,” said Deputy National Police Chief Surachate Hakparn. Hakparn added, “She had poisoned all 15 victims with cyanide that was placed in drinking water, food, or medicines in the form of capsules. Financial problems were the motive for carrying out the cyanide murders.”
The shocking case of Khanwong’s death led other families of Rangsiwuthaporn’s victims to come forward with similar accounts. In total, she faces 13 additional murder trials and approximately 80 charges. Three accomplices were also implicated in the scheme. Her ex-husband, former police lieutenant-colonel Vitoon Rangsiwuthaporn, was sentenced to 16 months in prison, and her former lawyer received a two-year sentence for their role in Siriporn’s killing.
Authorities believe Vitoon also assisted in the murder of Rangsiwuthaporn’s ex-boyfriend, Suthisak Poonkwan. After the verdict, Khanwong’s mother, Tongpin Kiatchanasiri, expressed relief. “The court’s decision is just,” she told reporters. “I want to tell my daughter that I miss her deeply and justice has been done for her today.”
The case has drawn comparisons to another chilling crime in North Carolina, where a man, Joshua Lee Hunsucker, is accused of poisoning his wife and daughter with eyedrops, alongside other allegations of abuse and witness intimidation.
Rangsiwuthaporn’s sentencing marks a grim milestone in Thailand’s legal system, bringing closure to families devastated by her crimes while highlighting the devastating consequences of financial desperation.
