A Ukrainian model who was hacked to pieces with a saw in a luxury apartment in Thailand styled herself like Marilyn Monroe and dreamed of becoming a movie star.
Alona Savchenko, 24, checked into the Key Sathorn-Charoenraj hotel apartment in Bangkok on April 29 with her partner Jan Jerzy Lagoda-Filippov, 25.
Born in Poland, Lagoda-Filippov had registered an advertising business in Covent Garden in London’s West End.
Ms Savchenko had previously done photoshoots for him and several other advertising agencies and was reportedly paid by brands to promote their products on social media.
In pictures of the young model, she showed off her bleached hair and her self-proclaimed “pin-up” physique.
Alona Savchenko, 24, was killed in a luxury Thai hotel apartment
The Ukrainian styled herself after Marilyn Monroe and dreamed of becoming a movie star
Jan Jerzy Lagoda-Filippov, 25, is suspected of murdering his Ukrainian girlfriend. The Pole had registered an advertising company in Covent Garden in London’s West End
Hotel staff and police found a bloodstained saw next to Alona Savchenko’s body
Hotel staff said the couple looked happy when they checked in together, and CCTV footage from the hallway showed the couple smiling as they headed to their room.
But on the morning of May 15, security forces became suspicious when the Polish tourist left the building alone and in a hurry, carrying his luggage and looking very nervous.
Lagoda-Filippov hailed a taxi whose driver Surachai Sabaibang later called the hotel to report the Pole’s erratic behavior after his passenger allegedly used the Google Translate app to ask for help cutting up a body.
CCTV footage of Lagoda-Filippov leaving the hotel shows him shaking as he exits the elevator, dragging his suitcase behind him.
When the driver called, the hotel staff went to the couple’s room on the 32nd floor and found the remains of Ms. Savchenko on the bed.
The young woman’s face was covered in blood and her left hand had been severed at the wrist.
Her head had also been partially severed with a deep cut from her neck to her left shoulder, and paramedics determined she had also suffered a stab wound to the chest.
Next to her body was a 60 cm long saw covered in blood. Investigators believe Ms Savchenko was dead about a day before she was discovered, suggesting she was killed over the weekend before Lagoda-Filippov attempted to escape.
The young woman, who was studying in Jinan, China, appeared to be embracing a jet-set lifestyle in the months leading up to her arrival in Bangkok in late April, vacationing in Valencia, Warsaw, Istanbul, London and Rome.
Photos taken in the months leading up to her death show the model posing in multiple locations, captioned with Beatles lyrics and stories about her dreams of becoming a star.
Police Lt. Col. Pongpun Phonharn of Wat Phraya Krai District Police Station said: “The victim arrived at the home with her boyfriend on April 29, but he left without her around noon on May 15.”
“We learned that he had hired a taxi to take him to Sa Kaeo province. He was probably trying to cross the border into Cambodia.’
Alona Savchenko, 24, checked into the Key Sathorn-Charoenraj hotel apartment in Bangkok on April 29 with her partner Jan Jerzy Lagoda-Filippov, 25
In pictures of the young model, she showed off her bleached hair and her self-proclaimed “pin-up” physique
After the discovery, officials contacted taxi driver Mr. Surachai for questioning.
The driver said: “I picked up the suspicious passenger who told me via Google Translate that he wanted to play at a casino.” US dollars) to help dismember his girlfriend’s body.”
Disturbed by the alarming request, Mr Surachai reportedly dropped Lagoda-Filippov at a hotel in Bangkok’s Sathorn district before phoning the hotel where he was staying.
Shortly after hotel staff discovered Ms Savchenko’s body, border officials were put on alert and on Monday evening Lagoda-Filippov was caught at the Aranyaprathet border checkpoint in Sa Kaeo province, 135 miles away.
Police failed to see the suspect, but a police dog jumped off her truck and ran to a nondescript travel agency near the border.
After noticing an unusual smell, Judy, the Labrador, began to wag her tail and sniff at Lagoda-Filippov, who was sitting in front of the agency with his ticket to Cambodia.
The young woman, who was studying in Jinan, China, appeared to have a jet-set lifestyle
Thai paramedics carry Ms Savchenko’s body out of the hotel
According to CCTV footage and security personnel, Lagoda-Filippov left the hotel in a hurry, carrying his luggage alone and looking nervous
Lagoda-Filippov is seen after being arrested by Thai police
Lagoda-Filippov was struck by a Labrador puppy named Judy, who noticed a strange odor on him and led officers to the travel agency where he was waiting to cross the Thai border into Cambodia
The alleged killer had filled out visa forms and was minutes from boarding a minivan when armed police stormed the isolated building and handcuffed him to the ground.
He was then held for questioning at the Wat Phraya area police station while the police informed the Polish embassy of his arrest. The investigations are ongoing.
Police Lt. Col. Pongpun Phonharn added, “The suspect was very calm when he was arrested.” It was around 4 a.m. (Tuesday) when he was caught.
“He drank coffee in his cell as usual and started exercising like it was his normal morning routine.” He said nothing.
“We contacted the Polish embassy.”
