A retired member of the U.S. Marine Corps has been charged with the stabbing death of an Australian man when the two were at the same resort in Thailand.
Police say the 43-year-old Randall Owen Johnson “had words” with 35-year-old Australian man Liam Michael Ross. The two were at Ao Nang Beach in Thailand. After the verbal exchange, Johnson is accused of stabbing Ross in the stomach, arm, and leg in the wee hours of July 22.
Ross came from Perth, Australia, and was taken to a Thai hospital where he later died. Johnson, his attacker, is charged by Thai police with causing Ross’ death. It is not clear whether the Thai charges include any equivalent to murder in the U.S.
Johnson hailed from Houston, Texas, and had moved to Krabi, which sits on Thailand’s west coast. A divorced father, he worked as a home school teacher.
His Marine Corps service included a stint as a supply and logistical support specialist, first at California’s Camp Pendleton, and then at Camp Schwab in Oklahoma. When he left the armed services Jonhson worked in the telecommunications industry as a tower technician, and then as an English teacher living in Bangkok.
It is not clear precisely what started the altercation, but witnesses present said both men had been drinking booze at a restaurant close to Ao Nang beach. They ran into each other a second time as Ross was making his way on foot back to his hotel. Witnesses say they had words with each other, but that soon gave way to a fist fight.
Police say Johnson took out a collapsible knife and stabbed Ross several times. He later died of his injuries.
Ross’ family released a statement saying they are “heartbroken” over the loss of their “beautiful, gifted” family member. The entire family will travel to Bangkok in the coming days for a Buddhist-style cremation and funeral ceremony, after which they will take Ross’ ashes back to Australia. They plan to hold a memorial service in Perth at a later date.
The Australian consulate is helping the grieving family make it through the complicated arrangements surrounding travel and the funeral.