PUBLISHED : 16 Aug 2023 at 06:37
Police have closed their investigation into the murder of a Colombian plastic surgeon on Koh Phangan despite the fact that most of the victim’s body, which was allegedly dismembered by his partner, remains unaccounted for.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn told reporters on Tuesday that after working hard to resolve the case for two weeks, their investigation into the killing and dismembering of Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, 44, would be closed.
Arrieta was allegedly murdered by his boyfriend, Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, 29, a well-known YouTube chef and son of Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre and actress Silvia Bronchalo on Koh Phangan on Aug 1.
According to Pol Gen Surachate, who led the investigation into the killing, the suspect arrived in Thailand on July 31, the day before Arrieta. They planned to meet on Koh Phangan on Aug 2, so Arrieta booked a hotel room for them to stay in, but Mr Sancho also had a booking at a different hotel, where he later carried out the murder.
After allegedly killing his partner, police said Mr Sancho cut the body up into 17 parts. Some of the parts he stuffed into a duffel bag which he threw into the sea, while the rest he put in a trash bag that he dumped at the tambon Koh Phangan Municipal Solid Waste Management Centre. These remains were discovered by local trash pickers on Aug 3.
Pol Gen Surachate said police believe the murder was premeditated, as evidence showed Mr Sancho had bought a long knife, plastic bags, cleaning solutions and rubber gloves on Aug 1. Police also found bloodstains, human tissue, grease marks and hairs while searching the hotel room.
Mr Sancho has acknowledged the premeditated murder charge against him, as well as the charges for concealing and/or removing body parts to cover up a death or cause of death, said the police.
Pol Gen Surachate said the Royal Thai Police will ask the Colombian embassy to reach Arrieta’s family so they can claim what’s left of his remains.