Saner Wonggoun

Infobox Military Person
name=Saner Wonggoun


caption=Air Force photo
born=birth date and age|1947|01|22
died=
placeofbirth=Nakhon Nayok, Thailand
placeofdeath=
nickname=Buck, Shortycite web| url = http://www.osi.andrews.af.mil/library/fugitives/wonggoun.asp| archiveurl = http://web.archive.org/web/20070629095518/http://www.osi.andrews.af.mil/library/fugitives/wonggoun.asp| archivedate=2007-06-29| title = AFOSI: Fugitive Wonggoun's Stats| accessdate = 2007-01-28| work = Air Force Fugitives| publisher = Air Force Office of Special Investigations]
allegiance=United States
branch=United States Air Force
serviceyears=1976–present
(deserted in 1994)
rank=Technical Sergeant

Technical Sergeantcite web| url = http://www.airforcetimes.com/story.php?f=1-292925-2336155.php| title = Most-wanted fugitive arrested| accessdate = 2006-11-21| date = 2006-11-06| publisher = Military Times Media Group| work = Air Force Times] Saner Wonggoun (IPA-all|senɚɻ wɑn.ɡun)cite news
title = Air Force fugitive enters plea in wife's slaying
url = http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10033192
work = San Jose Mercury News
publisher = MediaNews Group
location = San Jose, California, United States
accessdate = 2008-08-02 ] (born January 22 1947) is a Thai American who was the United States Air Force's top fugitive from 1994 to 2006 as the principle suspect in his wife's murder. After his November 2006 capture in a Thai market, Wonggoun unsuccessfully fought extradition and eventually pled guilty to—and was convicted of—voluntary manslaughter by court-martial.

TSgt Wonggoun is currently imprisoned at Travis Air Force Base, California and awaiting review of his sentencing by Air Force officials.

Immigration and enlistment

Born in Nakhon Nayok, Thailand, Saner Wonggoun moved to the United States at the age of 21 and enlisted in the Air Force in 1976.cite news
first = Peter
last = Fimrite
title = Air Force's most-wanted fugitive arrested in wife's 1994 slaying
url = http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/11/04/BAGH0M68IL1.DTL&feed=rss.bayarea
work = San Francisco Chronicle
publisher = Hearst Communications Inc.
location = San Francisco, California, United States
page = B-3
date = 2006-11-04
accessdate = 2008-03-22] He gained United States citizenship in 1978,cite news
title = U.S. fugitive arrested in Thailand over murder
url = http://www.philippinenews.com/article.php?id=1131
work = Philippine News
publisher =
location = Makati City, Philippines
date = 2006-11-07
accessdate = 2008-03-22
language = English ] having dual citizenship with his home nation of Thailand.

Desertion and capture

Assigned to and living on Travis Air Force Base as an air cargo supervisor in January 1994, Wonggoun fled the country on January 14th when wanted for questioning by the authorities of Marin County, California.cite news
first = Erik
last = Holmes
title = Accused Air Force killer back in U.S. custody
url = http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/02/airforce_fugitive_techsgt_022708w/
work = Air Force Times
publisher = Gannett Company
location = McLean, Virginia, United States
date = 2008-02-29
accessdate = 2008-03-22 ] The sergeant was the primary suspect in the murder of his wife of 12 years (conflicting reports give 13), 42-year old Sopha Wonggoun (née Yodpet).

His wife's body was found a week earlier on January 7, 1994 wrapped in a sleeping bag along a deserted road off State Route 1.cite web| url = http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123030850| title = United States Air Force top fugitive in custody| accessdate = 2006-11-10| date = 2006-11-03| work = Air Force Link| publisher = United States Air Force] At the time of the murder, the couple had two children already and Sopha was eight-months pregnant.cite news
title = B1m fugitive arrested in Phitsanuloke
url = http://www.phuketgazette.net/news/index.asp?fromsearch=yes&Id=5320
work = The Phuket Gazette
publisher = The Phuket Gazette Co Ltd.
location = Phuket, Thailand
date = 2006-11-04
accessdate = 2008-03-22
language = English ] An autopsy later determined Sopha died of "blunt force trauma to the head ... consistent with the shape of a hammer."

In the interim three to four days it took to identify the victim and to acquire a search warrant for the Wonggouns' mobile home, Saner had received emergency leave and had purchased tickets to Thailand—leaving his vehicle in the short-term parking at San Francisco International Airport.cite news
first = Brian
last = Hamlin
title = Hearing at Travis in 1994 slaying
url = http://www.thereporter.com/ci_8637572
work = The Reporter
publisher = MediaNews Group
location = Vacaville, California, United States
date = 2008-03-20
accessdate = 2008-03-22 ]

Heading the investigation, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) named Sergeant Wonggoun their number one fugitive;cite news
title = U.S. Air Force top fugitive in custody in Thailand
url = http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN0340705820061103
work = Reuters
publisher =
location = Washington, D.C., United States
date = 2006-11-03
accessdate = 2008-03-22 ] and, in October 2006, offered age-progressed images and a US$25,000 reward to the public for information leading to the capture of their fugitive. On November 3, following a tip-off by a Thai woman that Wonggoun was selling charcoal at the Khoke Matoom Market, the Royal Thai Police arrested the erstwhile sergeant in Phitsanuloke province.cite news
title = Travis Airman Gets 10 Years For Wife's Death
url = http://cbs5.com/local/travis.afb.trial.2.784085.html
work = KPIX-TV
publisher = CBS Corporation
location = San Francisco, California, United States
date = 2008-07-30
accessdate = 2008-08-02 ]

After his arrest, Wonggoun made several statements that were later published in the "Phuket Gazette". He allegedly confessed to the murder of his wife, admitting to supposedly bludgeoning her with a hammer after learning she was eight months pregnant—despite living chaste with Saner for almost a year. Saner further claimed that his wife had an addiction to gambling and had wasted a lot of money in this fashion. After fleeing the United States in 1994, Saner never withdrew any of his US$81,700 for fear of being traced, nor was he aware that his son had made frequent trips to Thailand in search of his father. Summarizing his time as a fugitive, Wonggoun claimed to have attempted suicide several times: "I have been living in misery all along. I have been living on given time. No happiness or anything at all."

Extradition and trial

Captain Christine Millette with the AFOSI said Wonggoun will be court-martialed on charges of premeditated murder; the Uniform Code of Military Justice dictates a potential sentence of death or life imprisonment should he be convicted for the murder of his wife.cite web
url = http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=browse_usc&docid=Cite:+10USC801| title = SUBCHAPTER I--GENERAL PROVISIONS| accessdate = 2006-12-30| publisher = U.S. Code Online via GPO Access| language = Legalese]

After his arrest, Wonggoun insisted he be considered as a Thai citizen and subject to Thai court. However, in December 2007 Thailand's Appeals Court found that as the murder took place in the United States, and Wonggoun is legally a US citizen, he should fall subject to the US judicial system.cite news
title = Court rules to extradite Thai-born naturalised American in murder case
url = http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=1883
work =
publisher = MCOT Public Company Limited.
location = Bangkok, Thailand
language = English
date = 2007-12-19
accessdate = 2008-03-22]

On February 15th, 2008, Wonggoun was transferred to the custody of the AFOSI Detachment 303 at Travis AFB; as OSI investigators believe that Sopha was murdered on base, Marin County relinquished legal jurisdiction to the Air Force.cite news
first = Brian
last = Hamlin
title = Hearing set for ex-Travis sergeant
url = http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_8531673
work = The Reporter
publisher = MediaNews Group
location = Vacaville, California, United States
date = 2008-03-11
accessdate = 2008-03-22 ]

Article 32 hearing

On March 19, 2008, Air Force prosecutors convened an Article 32 hearing to determine if a crime occurred and if there is probable cause to go to court-martial based on the evidence provided. During the two-day hearing, the prosecution and defense counsels (Majors Tara Villena and Mark Etheridge, respectively) called upon and questioned the original Marin County investigator, Detective Steven Nash, and Wonggoun's 21-year-old daughter, Sophia Wonggoun Burtram.

Burtram emotionally testified to the prosecutor that she may have inadvertently informed her father about her mother's boyfriend shortly before her death. When questioned by the defense council, she bolstered his argument for voluntary manslaughter, testifying that she had never seen her father act violently or aggressively toward her mother.

The evidence, testimonies, and counselors' arguments are were reviewed by the proceeding's investigating officer, Colonel Steven Ehlenbeck.

Court-martial

Proceeding to court-martial, Wonggoun requested a court trial as opposed to a military jury panel. On July 28, 2008 the court martial of Saner Wonggoun in the murder of his wife began with an entered plea of voluntary manslaughter. Conditional to this plea, Wonggoun explained he understood the ramifications of his plea and detailed the killing upon questioning by the presiging Judge, Colonel William Burd.cite news
first = Brian
last = Hamlin
title = Ex-Travis man details '94 slaying of his wife
url = http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_10031483
work = The Reporter
publisher = MediaNews Group
location = Vacaville, California, United States
date = 2008-07-29
accessdate = 2008-08-02 ]

Reiterating some of his November 2006 comments, Wonggoun explained the unplanned January 6, 1994 murder was the result of yet another argument with his wife, Sopha. According to Saner, not only had his wife accrued over US$20,000 in gambling debts over the years, but that on this day he learned that Sopha was pregnant and he was "100 percent" sure the child wasn't his. Retrieving a claw hammer from his storage room, "... I hit her one time and she fell on the floor, and after that I realized what I did, I lost control of myself ... everything was just dark." Wonggoun explained to Colonel Burd that it was never his intention to kill his wife, but that "I was mad. I wanted to teach her a lesson." Arguing for a ruling of voluntary manslaughter, defense attorneys showed that Wonggoun's own frank candidness about the killing, as well as his " [anger] , being in the sudden heat of passion, [was] the only explanation."cite news
first = Brian
last = Hamlin
title = His rage led to wife's killing
url = http://www.thereporter.com/news/ci_10042560
work = The Reporter
publisher = MediaNews Group
location = Vacaville, California, United States
date = 2008-07-30
accessdate = 2008-08-02
quote = Ex-Travis resident guilty of voluntary manslaughter in a hammer attack against his spouse, pregnant with another man's child. ]

Despite Wonggoun's plea, Air Force prosecutors proceeded with a charge of premeditated murder. TSgt Don Osborn explained that unlike a civilian trial, "it's not like a plea bargain. He doesn't get to choose."cite news
title = REGIONAL: FORMER TRAVIS AIRMAN'S MURDER TRIAL CONTINUES TUESDAY
url = http://cbs5.com/localwire/22.0.html?type=bcn&item=TRAVIS-TRIAL-baglm
work = KPIX-TV
publisher = CBS Corporation
location = San Francisco, California, United States
date = 2008-07-28
accessdate = 2008-08-02 ] Major Villena argued that the couple's money problems were the impetus for premeditation, and that Saner had been taking issues with his wife's problems for some time beforehand: "He's not going from 0 to 100 in two seconds." Further, Sgt Wonggoun's methodical and systematic cleanup and disposal of his wife's body evidenced calculation beyond a sudden decision for murder.

Conviction and sentencing

On July 30, 2008, Colonel Burd ruled with the defense in that Wonggoun was guilty of voluntary manslaughter in the matter of his wife's death. Attorney advisor Greg Tarrott from the Travis AFB legal office spoke with reporters the same day to report that Col Burd recommended a sentence of 10 years military confinement, a dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of pay and allowances, and a reduction in rank to Airman Basic (E-1). Tarrott also explained that even though Wonggoun will be immediately incarcerated, the sentencing will not go into effect as quickly; Col Burd's recommendations must first be reviewed by the Convening Authority, Maj Gen Winfield W. Scott III with the 18th Air Force at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, and then may be brought before a military appellate court.cite news
title = Former Air Force Sergeant Sentenced for Killing Pregnant Wife With Hammer
url = http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,395285,00.html
work = Fox News Channel
publisher = News Corporation
location = United States
date = 2008-07-31
accessdate = 2008-08-02 ]

References