An arrest has been made by authorities in Thailand investigating the murder of Tin Zaw Htwe, a 25-year-old TikTok star with over a million followers, whose body was discovered in a forest near the Myanmar border last week.

The popular gay influencer, who had a flair for fashion and shared tips, product endorsements, and lip-synced songs with his followers, was a Myanmar national.

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They looked “picture perfect” on Instagram. His husband allegedly stabbed him to death.

According to local reports, he was beaten to death.

Authorities were alerted last Tuesday after a villager herding animals discovered his body beneath a tree in a forested area in the Mae Sot District, about 300 miles from the capital in Bangkok.

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Police found the victim face down, wearing a yellow T-shirt underneath a black jacket, and black sweatpants or trousers. His belt buckle was undone, and his underwear and sweatpants were pulled down above his thighs. Dried blood caked his face and head.

Nearby, a blood-stained wooden bat, suspected as the murder weapon, was found. Wounds on his head and face were consistent with being struck by a heavy object, police said.

Close to the body, authorities found an alcohol bottle, the victim’s shoulder bag, cosmetics, a bank book, condoms, and other personal items. The young man’s gold jewelry and iPhone 17 were missing from the scene.

Photographs from the crime scene reveal the victim was shoeless when he was discovered, with his belongings strewn around him. The bat rests on the ground inches from his head.

The influencer had been gone two days before his body was discovered, according to friends interviewed by police.

A housemate told authorities that before he vanished, the victim received a social media call for help. Trusting the caller, the TikTok influencer went to meet them, they said.

Police believe two suspects lured Tin Zaw Htwe to the secluded spot where he was killed, according to the Bangkok Post.

The popular influencer was cremated at Luang Mae Sot Cemetery on Saturday after a gathering of friends and family.

While police say Tin Zaw Htwe left home two days before his body was discovered, his final video posted just a day earlier, raising questions over the timeline of events before he was found.

Authorities say the investigation is ongoing.

In the week since news of Tin Zaw Htwe’s death spread, his TikTok account, @irrawaddyma, has gained over 200,000 followers.  

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