Dismemberment suspect ruled guilty by court

The suspect had pleaded not guilty at the Luleå District Court, even though the blood of 20-year-old Vatchareeya Bangsuan was discovered in the boot of his car. A pair of work gloves and a roll of tape tainted with the victim’s blood were also found in his home.

On Monday, the court ruled that the 22-year-old must undergo a psychiatric evaluation in order to determine whether he should be sent to prison or to a psychiatric ward, as the evidence was overwhelming that he had committed the murder.

"The district court considers him to be guilty of murder, now it's just a question of what happens next," Bo Forssberg, the suspect's attorney, told the Expressen newspaper.

Bangsuan disappeared in Boden on May 7th, 2013 sparking a drawn-out search by rescue services and volunteers – including the suspect – until her dismembered remains were discovered on May 20th in a building on an abandoned military base. The 22-year-old man on trial for her murder was a friend, with whom she also had a short relationship several years back.

Technicians have been able to determine that Bangsuan attempted to call 112 (the European and Swedish emergency services number), but was unsuccessful. She pressed asterisk instead of the call button and her call for help never made it through.

Male DNA from the woman’s ankles has been analyzed, but the results were uncertain. The DNA could belong to the 22-year-old man, but forensic technicians could not say for sure.

The murder suspect participated in the search for the woman, along with volunteers from the organization Missing People. He admitted that he had been to the abandoned building where the woman’s body parts were later found, although he claimed he did not see anything there. Bangsuan was studying in his apartment before she disappeared.