Daring Kentucky drug-dealer, who made news after daring escape from Thai courthouse at hearing, dies after nine days in a coma – Bart Helmus, 39, shot himself and his girlfriend in the head as they were cornered by police
Fugitive Kentucky drug-dealer who staged a daring escape from a courthouse in Thailand 11 days ago, DIES after several days in a coma
Bart Allen Helmus, 39, and girlfriend Sirinapha Wisetrit, 31, fled police custody while facing trial for drug trafficking on Nov. 4
Helmus, Wisetrit and third person, Noi Ton Nintet, staged an audacious break-out attempt while being taken to court to face trial on charges for which they were facing the death penalty
Helmus stabbed a police guard and Noi shot the same guard before they made their escape in a waiting pickup truck
Noi was re-captured shortly after, cops cornered Helmus, and Wisetrit, in a cane field near the Cambodia border two days later
As police closed in on the pair, Helmus placed Wisetrit’s head next to his and shot them both with a pistol
Found unconscious, Helmus has now died after nine days in a coma, while Wisetrit survived with minor wounds and faces charges of attempted murder
Drug smuggling suspect Bart Allen Helmus died in hospital overnight Thursday, nine days after he shot himself and his girlfriend in the head while on the run from authorities in Thailand. Helmus, 39, was caught on video stabbing one of the guards before his accomplice Noi Ton Nintet, shot the same man at a Pattaya courthouse on Monday afternoon
Bart Allen Helmus was taken to hospital in a coma on November 6, after he and girlfriend Sirinapha Wisetrit, 31, fled from police with a second accomplice, Noi Ton Nintet, 41, as they were being taken to trial.
Cornered in a sugarcane field, Helmus, originally from Kentucky, placed Wisetrit’s head next to his and then shot them both with a handgun, as police closed in.
She survived with only minor wounds, but he was rushed to hospital in a coma.
Helmus, his girlfriend Sirinapha Wisetrit, and Noi Ton Nintet staged an audacious escape from custody when they stabbed an officer, identified as Captain Thanameth Potiphan, and forced another to hand over keys at gunpoint before jumping into a waiting pickup truck
When police cornered the fugitives, two days after their daring courthouse escape, in a cane field 20 miles from the Cambodian border. Wisetrit was the member of the pair still conscious after Helmus placed her head next to his and shot them both with a pistol
According to local media he went into cardiac arrest several times along the way, and was admitted in critical condition at the at Sakaeo Crown Prince Hospital.
He died at the hospital overnight Thursday, medics said.
Helmus, Wisetrit and third person, Noi Ton Nintet, staged an audacious break-out attempt while being taken to court to face trial for drug trafficking, for which they were facing the death penalty.
The prisoners, who were shackled, were being moved from a holding area to a courtroom on November 4, when they used a gun and a knife to escape.
CCTV footage showed Helmus stabbing a guard – later named as Captain Thanameth Potiphan – who tried to stop them.
Noi then shoots Captain Thanameth before forcing the other guard to hand over keys at gunpoint to unlock a secured area so they could make their escape in a waiting getaway car, an Isuzu pickup truck.
A 20-year-old man, Warakorn ‘Mod’ Ditmalee was arrested November 6, and charged with helping the three escaped prisoners, including supplying the gun and knife, according to local media.
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Captain Thanameth Potiphan, was also shot by Noi Ton Nintet, one of Helmus’ accomplices, is loaded onto the back of an ambulance in Pattaya on Monday after the attack
After Bart Allan Helmus used the handgun [right], to shoot himself and his girlfriend, the alleged drug dealer [left], was in a coma with a gunshot wound to the head, while Wisetrit [lying beside him], suffered only minor injuries and was able to walk away from the scene
The pair of Helmus [left], and his girlfriend Sirinapha Wisetrit [right], were facing the death penalty in Thailand after being caught with 35oz. of crystal meth, a handgun with 200 bullets and $6,500 in a raid in July![Noi Ton Nintet, [left] and Sirinapha Wisetrit, [right] 1.JPG](https://i2.wp.com/konniemoments.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Noi-Ton-Nintet-left-and-Sirinapha-Wisetrit-right-1.jpg?resize=620%2C394&ssl=1)
Noi Ton Nintet, [left] and Sirinapha Wisetrit, [right] escaped with American prisoner Helmus after staging a courthouse in Pattaya at around 3.30pm on Monday, Nov. 4
The third prisoner who escaped with the couple, Noi Ton Nintet, 41, was captured in a nearby field in his underpants.
Helmus and Wisetrit were eventually tracked to a sugar can field around 20 miles from the Cambodian border where they were cornered by police.
As officers closed in Helmus shot both himself and Wisetrit in the head. Officers found them laying on the ground. Helmus was unconscious, but Wisetrit was conscious and able to walk away.
They also found the handgun used in the shooting, along with a spent shell casing.
The getaway vehicle was also recovered.
‘We think they could have been hiding in the forest for two days and two nights,’ the local police chief said at the time.
Wisetrit has been returned to jail, facing additional charges of attempted murder of a policeman, escaping while being in custody, and threatening others with guns.
Police conduct searches in Pattaya after the pair staged a violent escape from a courtroom on Monday, Nov. 4
One of the trio of suspects points a pistol while the other two break open the door, rear], as Bart Allen Helmus stabbed one of the guards before his accomplice Noi Ton Nintet, allegedly shot the same man in Pattaya on Monday afternoon
Police in Pattaya arrest 20 year old Mr. Warakorn ‘Mod’ Ditmalee who is one of the suspects that had helped the three escaped prisoners according
The couple were initially arrested in July this year after police allegedly found a stash of drugs and weapons at their apartment.
Police claim they found 35oz of crystal meth, a pistol with 200 bullets, a set of scales and 205,000 Baht [$6,650], in the raid.
Helmus allegedly ordered the drugs from the ‘dark web’ before selling them to customers around the Thai ‘Sin City’ resort.
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