What began as an urgent missing persons investigation in Chon Buri province, Thailand, escalated into a sinister criminal probe when law enforcement authorities searching for two missing Russian siblings stumbled upon a hidden burial site. The hunt for 22-year-old Diana Nazimova and her 17-year-old brother, Roman Nazimov, ultimately unmasked a multi-victim murder plot and led to the discovery of another local family buried nearby who had been missing for two months.
The Disappearance in Pattaya
Diana Nazimova and her brother Roman had relocated from Russia to Thailand in 2021 to join their mother, Zarina Nazimova (40), who had settled in Pattaya in 2018. The family resided at the Bristol Park Pattaya housing estate in tambon Huai Yai, located within the Bang Lamung district.
On the morning of Sunday, July 26, 2026, at approximately 4:00 AM, the siblings left their residence on a black-and-grey Honda motorcycle, dressed in casual clothing and carrying their mobile phones. Their mother initially assumed they were making a quick trip to a nearby convenience store. However, after hours passed without communication and their phones were switched off, she alerted the Huai Yai Police Station.
Prior to vanishing, Diana had reportedly shared a concerning observation with her mother: her iPhone had flagged an unknown Bluetooth tracking device nearby, leaving her concerned that someone was following her.
The Police Investigation and Buried Evidence
Thai police launched a multi-agency search operation, deploying sniffer dogs and reviewing surveillance footage across Bang Lamung and Sattahip districts. A major breakthrough occurred on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, when search crews uncovered the siblings’ black-and-grey motorcycle. The vehicle had been dismantled and buried in a forested area in tambon Huai Yai, roughly 500 meters from the residence of a relative tied to one of the main suspects.
CCTV footage captured two primary suspects—identified as 43-year-old ex-convict Thana Kerdthong and 39-year-old Thongchai Srinil—traveling through Chon Buri on July 26 following the disappearance. Authorities also briefly detained two local men, nicknamed “Suea Hoi” and “Phang,” on suspicion of assisting the perpetrators by concealing them under a tarpaulin in a motorcycle sidecar and helping bury the vehicle parts.
Following a multi-province manhunt led by Provincial Police Region 2 commissioner Pol Lt Gen Chatchai Surachetphong, officers located and arrested Thana and Thongchai on Friday afternoon, July 31, 2026, while they were hiding in a longan orchard in Wang Sombun district, Sa Kaeo province.
Confessions and Discovery of the Siblings
Under police interrogation, both suspects confessed to killing the siblings. According to their statements, Thana and Thongchai tailed the victims on a motorcycle along Highway 1008. When the siblings stopped on the roadside, a confrontation ensued over an attempted robbery of their motorcycle.
When Roman resisted, he was shot in the head and abdomen. Diana attempted to fight back and was fatally beaten by Thana. On Friday night, July 31, suspects escorted investigators to a forest in tambon Huai Yai, about two kilometers from the attack site.
Police excavated a grave approximately one meter deep, recovering the fully clothed bodies of Diana and Roman. Preliminary forensic examinations confirmed that Diana suffered physical assault, while Roman died from gunshot wounds. Authorities noted no signs of sexual assault on the female victim.
Uncovering the Second Grave: A Missing Thai Family
As crime scene technicians and forensic officers processed the surrounding terrain in tambon Huai Yai, the investigation took an unexpected turn. In an adjacent coconut grove near the site where the Russian siblings were found, investigators discovered a second shallow grave.
Inside the second grave lay the remains of a local Thai family of three—a husband, wife, and their daughter—who had been reported missing from Bang Lamung two months earlier.
During subsequent questioning, Thana confessed to the murder of the family, claiming the motive was robbery. He detailed a targeted home invasion where he and accomplices—later identified by police as Chatchanan Paen-aiam and Atsadang Chuwong—disguised themselves as police officers.
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The Abduction: The perpetrators entered the victims’ residence posing as law enforcement and handcuffed the husband and wife.
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The Daughter: When the couple’s daughter returned home from a nearby convenience store shortly after, she was also restrained.
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Execution: The suspects transported all three family members to the remote coconut grove, executed them with firearms, and buried their bodies in a single grave.
Key Details of the Case
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Primary Victims (July 2026): Diana Nazimova (22) and Roman Nazimov (17), Russian nationals residing in Pattaya.
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Secondary Victims (May 2026): A Thai family of three (husband, wife, and daughter) residing in Bang Lamung.
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Primary Suspects: Thana Kerdthong (43) and Thongchai Srinil (39), arrested in Sa Kaeo province.
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Additional Accomplices: Chatchanan Paen-aiam and Atsadang Chuwong, arrested in connection with the family’s abduction and murder.
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Primary Motives Claimed: Robbery and vehicle theft.
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Primary Locations: Huai Yai (Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province) and Wang Sombun district (Sa Kaeo province).
Provincial Police Region 2 authorities continue to review physical evidence, forensic reports, and suspect statements to determine whether additional unsolved missing person cases in Chon Buri province are linked to this group.