Murder of Wendy Albano


Wendy Albano was an American businesswoman murdered in 2012 in a hotel room in Bangkok. Authorities in the U.S. got in touch with the United States Department of State, leading to the arrest of a suspect hiding in India in 2014. The chief suspect was an Indian business associate who fled to India after her death. One of the key pieces of evidence that made him a suspect was their known business relationship and video surveillance from the hotel. U.S. Senator Bill Nelson asked then Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to help with the case. Senator Nelson took steps to help India and Thailand work together to solve the crime. The case made headlines in the United States and India, especially due to the involvement of a U.S. Senator and request for help from the Secretary of State.

Background

Albano was an interior designer who had worked on the homes of many famous people and celebrities including Derek Jeter and Tino Martinez. Her business was called Wendy Albano Interiors. She had lived in the US States of California and Florida.

Death

Albano was found stabbed and strangled to death in February 2012 at a hotel in Bangkok. In September 2014, Indian Police arrested the prime suspect Ritesh Narpatraj Sanghvi, a business associate who had befriended her on Facebook in 2010. They had worked on some business deals and were reportedly working together to import hand-made jewelry. The hotel was Fraser Suites Hotel in Bangkok and one of the leads was CCTV footage that showed the suspect leaving. Sanghvi lodged a legal challenge to his extradition from India to Thailand which was heard in Delhi High Court and dismissed on 7 January
2019. On 28 February 2019, Sanghvi was extradited to Thailand.
People who have died in Bangkok hotels include Karl Slym of Tata Motors and Hollywood actor David Carradine. Thailand's murders have become noted enough that a writer produced a book called How Not To Get Murdered In Thailand related to this issue.