A teenager has been charged with murdering a woman within hours of arriving in the United Kingdom after renting a room from her through Airbnb. Enzo Bettamio, 18, is accused of stabbing 27-year-old Kamonnan Thiamphanit, also known as Angela, to death in April 2024. He was extradited from the United Arab Emirates last week and appeared at the Old Bailey via video-link from Wandsworth Jail on Tuesday.
Details of the Case
Prosecutor Nadeem Holland told the court that the defendant allegedly killed Ms Thiamphanit during a period of just 24 hours in the UK. Bettamio, then aged 16, arrived in the UK on a flight from Los Angeles on April 5, 2024. He allegedly used the Airbnb application to book a room for a month at the victim's property in Stanhope Place, near Marble Arch in central London.
Ms Thiamphanit spent that evening playing board games with friends and left in the early hours of April 6, citing an emergency at the Stanhope Place address. An Uber minicab dropped her off at 4.24am, which was the last time she was physically seen alive, Mr Holland said.
Discovery of the Body
Approximately 13 hours later, the defendant allegedly flagged down a black cab on nearby Bayswater Road to take him to the airport, where he bought a ticket to Dubai. Ms Thiamphanit's friends became concerned and alerted police, who found her body inside her home on April 8. Mr Holland stated: 'She had sustained multiple stab wounds all over her body. A large silver knife was protruding from the side of her neck.' A post-mortem examination found she had died from multiple sharp force injuries.
Extradition and Charges
On April 24 this year, the defendant was extradited back to the UK from the United Arab Emirates. Upon arrival, he was arrested and taken to Charing Cross police station, where he was charged with murder. Bettamio, of no fixed address, spoke only to confirm his identity during the court hearing before Judge Simon Mayo KC. The judge set a plea hearing for July 14 and a provisional trial from February 1 next year. The defendant was remanded into custody.
