Family‚ friends of SA man linked to Thai shooting 'shocked'

The stepfather of a South African man who allegedly pulled the trigger in a Thai killing has demanded Abel Bonita Caldeira call him in a curt Facebook post.

This as Calderia's family and friends told Timeslive of their shock as news broke about his alleged involvement in an execution style shooting.

Caldeira has been identified as one of two suspects in the murder of Tony Kenway‚ a British businessman‚ whose gruesome murder was captured on CCTV footage in the southern Thai city of Pattaya.

• WATCH: CCTV footage shows moment alleged South African gunman kills tourist in ThailandChilling CCTV footage shows the moment a South African man allegedly opened the door of a British tourist's car in Thailand and shot him. 

Caldeira and his accomplice‚ Miles Dicken Turner‚ also from the UK‚ are suspected of shooting Kenway twice in the head on Tuesday while he sat in his Porche.

UK newspaper The Mirror reported that Caldeira and Turner used their IDs to rent the white motorcycle captured on CCTV being ridden by the shooter and his getaway driver.

The news of Caldeira's involvement in the murder has left friends and family shocked.

On Caldeira's FaceBook page the curt message "Call me" was posted by his stepfather‚ Louis Traut‚ several hours after news broke that police were searching for him in connection with Kenway's murder.

Caldeira's cousin‚ who asked not to be named‚ said the family was shocked by his reported involvement in the crime.

"We haven't seen him for a few years. This takes everyone by surprise. He really is a nice kid‚ who is friendly and very social. I just cant believe what I am hearing."

He said Caldeira's mother and her husband had moved to Cambodia several years ago.

"Abel moved overseas a few years before then. We were in touch on Whatsapp and on Facebook. I see from social media that he has been in Cambodia for a while so I automatically thought he was with his mom."

One of Caldeira's friends from the Milner High School in Orkney in the North West said he couldn't believe the news.

"He was a very calm person. Always very friendly‚" said the friend who asked not to be named.

"He was the manager at one of the local pubs here [in Orkney]. I went there often. Abel was always very friendly

According to the blog‚ Nickobongiorno‚ Kenway and Caldeira‚ may have been acquaintances.

The blog‚ indicates that Kenway and Caldeira recently had an "exchange" with each other where they posted cryptic memes of wolves to each other on Facebook.

Kenway in a post to Caldeira said: "If you throw me to the wolves know that I will come back leading the pack"‚ to which Caldeira responded‚ "If you cant face the wolves‚ don’t go into the forest."

Kenway's wife‚ according to the blog‚ told police that her husband had set up a website design company near an area called Jomtien beach.

He also allegedly ran an online football gambling website.

Caldeira's last post on Facebook was of a wolf with the words: "Stay low key. Not everyone needs to know everything about you."

Meanwhile‚ South African authorities say they haven't received any request for assistance from Thai authorities.

"DIRCO is not currently aware of the case in question. We will contact the SA Embassy in Bangkok to determine if the Thai authorities alerted them of this matter‚" said department of international relations and cooperation spokesman Clayson Monyela.

Police spokesperson Brigadier Vishnu Naidoo said: "The person in question is not registered as wanted on the Interpol database at this time."