Terapon Adhahn

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Terapon Dang Adhahn (born c.1965) is a Thai convicted sex offender and a former Bhikkhu[1] who, in May 2008, was sentenced to life in prison for raping and murdering 12-year-old Zina Linnik in Tacoma, Washington.[2][3][4]

Charges were filed against him involving the rape and abduction of 11-year-old Sabrina Rasmussen near Fort Lewis, Washington in 2000 and the repeated sexual assaults of a teenage acquaintance that span from 2000 to 2004.[5][6][7][8]

Early life and education[edit]

Adhahn was born in Bangkok, Thailand to Pennsiri Bower and a Thai father.[1] As a child, Adhahn was allegedly raped repeatedly by an older sibling.[1] It was also reported that his father physically abused him until his parents divorced around the time Adhahn was 3 or 4.[9] After Adhahn's father left, his mother married an American serviceman named John Bower and the family moved to San Diego in 1977.

Career[edit]

Following his high school graduation, Adhahn took part in traditional Buddhist ceremonies and became a Buddhist monk.[1]

He later became a legal United States resident and enlisted in the United States Army. Adhahn married Barbara Harris in 1986 and had two children. In his two tours of duty, Adhahn would serve at Fort Dix in New Jersey, Germany and Fort Lewis. His wife went with him.[10] In 1989, he moved to Western Washington and settled in Tacoma. Investigators believe he may have visited the area prior to his move.[9] Adhahn separated from his wife in September 1990 and filed for divorce in May 1998. Around this time Adhahn was living with another woman who gave birth to a son. For a time, he lived with his aunt in Fort Worth, Texas.[10][11]

Criminal history[edit]

Rape and incest conviction[edit]

In 1990, Adhahn was convicted of rape and incest against his half sister when she was 16.[12] Following the conviction, Adhahn served two months in jail and attended court ordered treatment for five years.[13] He was classified as a level one ("low risk") sex offender and required to register as a sex offender.[9] Adhahn did not face deportation due to his status as a legal resident with federal law dictating that it was not a requirement for first-time offenders. In 1992, he was convicted of intimidation with a weapon in Tacoma, but officials at the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) were not aware of this second conviction and Adhahn was allowed to stay in the country.[14]

Zina Linnik[edit]

Zina Linnik was abducted from behind her home in the Hilltop Neighborhood of Tacoma during a 2007 Fourth of July celebration. Her father heard a scream and ran to the back to find one of Zina's flip-flop shoes on the ground and a gray van leaving. He was able to make out a partial on the van's license plate which was traced back to Adhahn.[15] Through his lawyer, Adhahn told police where they could find the Tacoma girl's body, though he reportedly did not confess to her abduction or murder.[13] On July 20, Pierce County prosecutors said they planned to charge Adhahn in Zina's case with aggravated murder, which, at the time, carried a maximum penalty of death in Washington state.[16] However, because Pierce County prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty if Adhahn would cooperate with police and help find Linnik's body, Adhahn faced a maximum penalty of life in prison.[17]

After his 2007 arrest, Adhahn was also a person of interest in the murder of Adre-Anna Jackson, and his former home was searched for evidence that same year.[18][19][20]: 153 

In April 2008, Adhahn pleaded guilty to raping and murdering Linnik.[21]

Amber Hagerman[edit]

Following the discovery of Zina Linnik's body, Adhahn's name and profile was submitted to the Arlington police department in connection with the 1996 abduction and slaying of Amber Hagerman. Adhahn's mother and brother lived near the Fort Worth area at the time of Amber's death though no evidence has been found that places him in the area during this time. During this time period that Amber went missing, Adhahn was required to attend mandatory sex offender therapy sessions on a weekly basis in Tacoma, Washington. Tacoma police contacted the Arlington department when similarities appeared between Amber's case and a 2000 Fort Lewis rape and abduction that Adhahn was charged with.[22]

Status[edit]

Adhahn made national and international headlines for unfounded rumors, as he was not in Texas when Amber was abducted, that he was the abductor and murderer of AMBER Alert namesake Amber Hagerman.[23][24] As of March 2021, he is housed in the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla, Washington doing time for Linnik's murder. His inmate number is 968071.[25]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d Bartley, Nancy (July 2, 2007). "Adhahn's mother: "My son is sick. I am angry at him"". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  2. ^ Clarridge, Christine (May 2, 2008). "Adhahn sentenced to life in prison for Tacoma girl's slaying". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  3. ^ "Washington State Courts - Error" (PDF). www.courts.wa.gov. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  4. ^ "Man sentenced to life in prison for rape, murder of Tacoma girl - Local - MyNorthwest.com". Archived from the original on 2014-01-02.
  5. ^ "Girl slain in Tacoma 'could have been me'". seattlepi.com. 3 August 2007. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  6. ^ "Victim to Adhahn: You deserve to die". seattlepi.com. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  7. ^ Komo TV "Adhahn charged in 2000 kidnapping, rape" July 18, 2007
  8. ^ "RASMUSSEN v. STATE - No. 67518-4-I. - 20130401e18 - Leagle.com". leagle.com. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b c Pattaya Daily News "Abused Thai Pedophile Suspected of US Serial Killings" July 18, 2007
  10. ^ a b ""One time is one time too many"". The Seattle Times. July 20, 2007. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  11. ^ Clarridge, Christine; Bartley, Nancy (July 19, 2007). "Tacoma murder suspect pleads not guilty in abduction and rape cases". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  12. ^ Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd "Thai suspect in Washington girl's death charged with raping two other girls" July 19, 2007
  13. ^ a b Crime File "Fear sex-con is tied to rash of missing kids" New York Daily News July 15, 2007
  14. ^ Robinson, Sean (July 14, 2007). "Residency meant he could stay". Tacoma News Tribune. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  15. ^ G. Johnson (July 13, 2007). "Police: Missing Wash. Girl's Body Found". Fox News.
  16. ^ Associated Press (July 20, 2007). "Suspect in Death of Zina Linnik to Be Charged With Aggravated Murder". Fox News.
  17. ^ Aker, Paul (July 31, 2007). "Police excavate Zina Linnik murder suspect's back yard". King 5 News. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-31.
  18. ^ Gene Johnson (July 20, 2007), Man who led police to girl's body denies rapes, Associated Press – via The Spokesman-Review (Spokane)
  19. ^ "Former Adhahn home searched for possible evidence in Adre'Anna murder". Seattle: KOMO-TV. July 31, 2007.
  20. ^ Newton, Michael (2009). The Encyclopedia of Unsolved Crimes. Infobase Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4381-1914-4.
  21. ^ Clarridge, Christine (8 April 2008). "Adhahn pleads guilty to murder of Tacoma girl, 12". The Seattle Times. Retrieved October 26, 2021.
  22. ^ L. Pulkkinen & S. Gutierrez "Child abduction-rape investigation widens" Seattle Post-Intelligencer July 19, 2007
  23. ^ CBS 11 News "Possible New Lead In Amber Hagerman Case" July 19, 2007
  24. ^ Mike Carter "Link to case that led to Amber Alerts?" Seattle Times July 20, 2007
  25. ^ "Find An Offender". www.doc.wa.gov. Archived from the original on 2007-09-09.
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