Superintendent Jo, involved in the "black bag case," dies by suicide in prison

The police officer who tortured a suspect to death in Nakhon Sawan while attempting to extort money took his own life in prison last night (March 7).

Pol Col Thitisan "Jo Ferrari " Utthanaphon, 43, a former superintendent of Nakhon Sawan City Police Station, who was accused of torturing a drug suspect to death by covering his head with a black plastic bag, died by suicide in prison on Friday, March 7.

The Department of Corrections issued a statement confirming that officials at Khlong Prem Central Prison in Bangkok were notified of an inmate's death at 8.50pm on March 7. The deceased was later identified as Thitisan, who had been sentenced to life imprisonment and had served 3 years, 6 months, and 13 days in prison.

The prison revealed that Thitisan had pre-existing health conditions, including essential tremor, dyslipidemia, and an anxiety disorder for which he had been receiving continuous treatment and medication. His most recent consultation with a psychiatrist was on February 18. He exhibited paranoid behavior, fearing that other inmates might harm him.

As a former police officer, the prison had granted his request to be held separately from other inmates for safety reasons.

On the day of his suicide, his wife visited him around noon.

At 8.25pm, prison staff went to deliver his prescribed medication and found him dead, having hanged himself with a towel tied to the door of his cell.CCTV footage showed no one entering or leaving his cell before the incident. Authorities are currently conducting an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.

For Thitisan’s case, the incident dates back to August 5, 2021, when officers from Nakhon Sawan City Police Station arrested two drug suspects, a man and a woman, and seized over 100,000 methamphetamine pills.

Both suspects were interrogated at the police station, where reports indicated that officers demanded a 2-million-baht bribe. However, the suspects offered only 1 million baht, which was rejected, leading to the male suspect being tortured.

CCTV footage from that day showed officers placing a black plastic bag over the male suspect’s head, suffocating him to death.

Investigations revealed that seven officers, including Pol. Col. Thitisan Uttanaphon, were involved. They were charged with four serious offenses, including murder by torture or cruel treatment.The Central Criminal Court for Corruption and Misconduct Cases initially sentenced Thitisan and five other defendants to death.

However, their sentences were reduced to life imprisonment due to their attempts to provide first aid, transport the victim to the hospital, and compensate his family. The parents of the deceased each received 300,000 baht, totaling 600,000 baht.

Another officer received an eight-year prison sentence, later reduced to five years and four months.

(2025/03/08-00:00)