The father of 17-year-old Tunchanok Donhomla, whose body was discovered stuffed inside a suitcase in Pattaya, Thailand, has issued a powerful statement rejecting any financial settlement with her alleged murderer.

Thongchai Donhomla declared he would not accept compensation from Australian suspect Simon Peter Carman, 45, emphasizing justice over money. “Even though I am poor, I will not trade my daughter’s dignity for money,” he told ABC. “I love my daughter so much.” The family insists the legal system must take its full course, forgoing any mitigating factors that could reduce a potential sentence.

Carman was arrested at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport last week just before boarding a flight to Perth. He faces charges including murder, concealing and moving a body, and abducting a minor for indecent purposes. Police allege he strangled Donhomla during a dispute over 500 baht (about $23) for her services as a sex worker, folded her body into a 29-inch suitcase, and dumped it near railway tracks about 2.6 miles from his apartment.

CCTV footage reportedly shows Carman wheeling the suitcase out of his building on a motorbike hours after the alleged killing. He claims self-defense, but authorities say he initially denied involvement until confronted with evidence.

In Thailand, murder carries a possible death penalty by lethal injection or life imprisonment. While compensation can sometimes lessen sentences as a sign of remorse, Donhomla’s family has made clear they want no part of it.

The case has shocked the local community. Donhomla, who had traveled from Bangkok to Pattaya, was last seen entering Carman’s apartment around 3:30 a.m. on June 26. Her body was found days later, along with personal items including her phone case, wallet, jewelry, and clothing.

Carman, who reportedly brought young women back to his apartment regularly, denies the charges. His legal team faces challenges, with high costs potentially leading to a court-appointed lawyer. The heartbroken family continues to mourn, demanding full accountability for their daughter’s death.