The 29-year-old killer, reportedly a YouTube celebrity chef, is the son of a well-known acting pair in Spain. His father, 48-year-old Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre is a well-known TV star while his mother, actress Ms Silvia Bronchalo has a net worth of $2 million. The murder accused and his victim were on the island to attend the acclaimed Full Moon Party on August 3rd.
A 29-year-old Spanish celebrity chef is to be charged with the premeditated murder of a 44-year-old Colombian plastic surgeon on the island of Ko Phangan in southern Thailand after refuse workers, on Thursday, discovered human remains at the local rubbish dump. Police arrested the Spaniard on Friday after evidence pointed strongly to highly suspicious behaviour by the young European, the son of a famous acting couple in Spain, who is understood to have been involved in a relationship with the older man which turned sour. He confessed to the murder on Saturday as the case against him mounted.
The Spaniard arrested by police on Ko Phangan in Surat Thani this week in connection with the disappearance of a Colombian cosmetic surgeon whose dismembered body was found in a garbage dump on Thursday has confessed to the murder.
29-year-old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo is believed to be the son of a well-known Spanish actor, Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, and actress Silvia Branchalo.
Motive for the murder was personal. Accused claims that the victim Mr Arteaga made unwanted advances towards him before he struck him on August 2nd
It is not confirmed yet what the motive for the murder was, but evidence collected by police during the week suggests that it was premeditated while officers suspect that it was related to a personal relationship between the two men.
The Spaniard is well known also in Spain where he is a celebrated chef with his own YouTube channel.
The victim of the crime, 44-year-old Edwin Arietta Arteaga, operated a successful cosmetic surgery business in Monteria, Colombia, a large city in the northwest of the South American country.
The accused Spanish man’s father, Mr Rodolfo Aguirre, is a well-known TV star in Spain. The 48-year-old is known for his roles in over two dozen Spanish movies since 1983.
Son of popular 48-year-old TV and film star in Spain
He is more well known for his TV parts however, including a Spanish historical fictional drama but his best known role is as nurse Julián Martínez in the television series El Ministerio del Tiempo.
Mr Daniel’s mother, Ms Silvia Bronchalo, is well known for her relationship with the TV star and in her own right, according to news reports, has a net worth of $2 million with links to the art world.
Details emerging about this murder are shocking with police reports suggesting that human remains including fat tissue have been detected in the drainage system of the hotel bedroom where the murder is known to have taken place.
This was included in case details outlined to the press on Saturday by Police Lieutenant General Surapong Thanomjit, the Chief of Police Region 8.
Ko Phangan island is well known for its famous Full Moon Parties held regularly throughout the year with this week’s event taking place on August 3rd
Ko Phangan is located in Thailand’s southern province of Surat Thani.
The island is also well known for its famous Full Moon parties which are associated with late-night partying and the consumption of illegal drugs and narcotics.
It is understood that Mr Bronchalo reported his friend as missing to Ko Phangan police station on Thursday evening after disturbing and sensational reports emerged and spread like wildfire on the island, of human body parts being found at a local garbage dump.
He later attended the Full Moon Party with two women he met at his hotel.
The remains of Mr Arteaga were discovered at the local dump on Thursday, August 3rd by refuse workers
Waste disposal workers for the local authority, on Thursday, had found a sawn-off human hip believed to be that of Mr Arteaga along with intestinal tissue.
The search for human remains continued into Friday and Saturday while police expanded their investigation which very quickly pointed in the direction of the Spanish suspect.
On Saturday, the police chief briefing the media revealed that Mr Bronchalo told them that he had been involved in a homosexual relationship with Mr Arteaga who travelled to the island on Wednesday the 2nd last.
Mr Bronchalo arrived two days earlier on July 31st.
Family and friends of the Colombian surgeon tried to contact him at the original hotel accommodation booked by him but changed by his younger friend
On Thursday, the family and friends of Mr Arteaga alerted police to the fact that the murdered Colombian man was not to be found at the original hotel reserved for the pair by the successful Colombian cosmetic surgeon.
Mr Bronchalo, however, had booked alternative accommodation some distance from it on another part of the island.
‘We do not yet know the motive for the murder. We initially believe it might stem from a fit of jealousy,’ Police Lieutenant General Surapong told reporters on Saturday. ‘The investigation found that Daniel Sancho had prepared thoroughly by buying items for concealing the body. After being detained for immigration offences and having his visa revoked, he showed clear signs of stress but still refused to confess.’
The top police officer revealed that police are concerned for the mental health of the accused man who has been placed under intensive surveillance while in custody out of fear that he may commit self-harm.
Spaniard confessed to killing Mr Arteaga but said he was resisting unwanted sexual advances from the older man when his head hit a bathtub and he died
Further details on the case were given by Police Colonel Panya Nirattimanon, the Chief of Ko Phangan Police, who confirmed that Mr Bronchalo appeared stressed after his arrest on Friday when he was taken in for questioning.
He told police that he had taken Mr Arteaga to his accommodation at the hotel where both were staying but the older man wanted to have sex with him.
He said he punched him causing him to fall and hit his head on a bathtub.
He then discovered that his friend was dead and cut the body up in an attempt to conceal his crime.
He said he had wrapped the body parts in plastic and placed him in a bag which he left at the beach near the hotel and then checked out at 9 am on Thursday morning.
On Saturday in Ko Phangan, the sister island of Ko Samui, news spread fast that police had arrested a Spanish man as the main suspect in connection with the disappearance of the Colombian national on the night of August 2nd.
Spaniard was detained on Friday and his visa revoked as police put the facts of the case to him under interrogation. Evidence showed clear premeditation
On Friday, 29-year-old Mr Daniel Sancho Bronchalo had his visa revoked and was being held in custody as police examined his suspicious behaviour the day before the disappearance of Mr Edwin Arteaga, the Colombian national who arrived on the holiday island on Tuesday afternoon last, August 2nd.
It is understood that Mr Bronchalo, the Spaniard, arrived two days before the victim on Monday, July 31st.
Both had a hotel reservation from Monday 31st to August 3rd but police later discovered that the suspect had changed the accommodation to a resort in the Haad Salad area of the island quite a distance from the original location reserved at Thong Nai Pan Beach.
Police also discovered that the Spaniard spent time on Tuesday the 1st of August shopping for knives, plastic bags and cleaning liquid at various stores including a department store on the island.
On Saturday, police revealed they had recovered all the body parts found at a garbage sorting location on the island including clothing which investigators suspect belonged to Mr Edwin Arteaga including red boxer shorts, a black t-shirt and shorts within the bags containing the human remains along with cleaning products which had also been dumped by the killer.
Bronchalo quickly identified as the killer
Police suspected that Mr Arteaga was murdered and his body cut into pieces and subsequently disposed of. They quickly confirmed that the Spaniard, Mr Bronchalo, was their key suspect.
Investigators are awaiting the results of forensic tests from evidence collected at the Haad Salad resort in the last 24 hours with a police forensic team understood to have spent hours at the hotel and the rooms believed to have been occupied by Mr Bronchalo and Mr Arteaga after the older man arrived off the ferry at Ko Phangan Pier on Wednesday afternoon, August 2nd.
He was collected there by Mr Bronchalo riding a motorbike. Mr Arteaga was last seen on CCTV riding behind as a pillion passenger as it departed from the ferry terminal precincts.
It is believed that Mr Bronchalo then took Mr Arteaga to the alternative accommodation at Haad Salad.
According to police, on Saturday, that was the last evidence they had of the Colombian seen alive on the island.
Police reported on Saturday the 29-year-old Spaniard confessed to the murder of Mr Edwin Arteaga on Wednesday 2nd August at the resort in Haad Salad
Police investigators have spoken to witnesses who have identified the Colombian as being alive up to late on Wednesday night after which he appeared to have vanished.
On Saturday, Police Lieutenant General Surapong Thanomjit, the Commander in Chief of Police Region 8, gave a press conference and confirmed that the investigators in the case had found body parts at the garbage dump.
He later confirmed that the suspect, Mr Bronchalo, had confessed.
The police chief has spoken to the National Police Commissioner in Bangkok, General Damrongsak Kittiprapas and Deputy National Police Chief General Surachate Hakparn who have instructed him to expedite the investigation and legal proceedings against the Spaniard.
Police, from the outset, treated the activities of the Spaniard in the 24 hours before the arrival of Mr Edwin Arteaga on the island this week as extremely suspicious and have collected extensive CCTV footage linking him with what appears to be his preparation for the murder and subsequent dismemberment of the Colombian national who was found in at least 14 pieces.
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Further reading:
Killer Spaniard surprised naked Chilean man at his home on Ko Phangan and knifed him to death
Police probe mental health of suspected murderer who killed his wife and stepson in Maha Sarakham
Prachinburi police launch murder investigation as German teacher found stabbed in bed at his home
Yaba Yaba Don’t. Another murder in Phatthalung province this week linked to the evil drug now rife
Pattaya police release grainy CCTV of UK man picking up the woman he later brutally murdered at home
Four Chinese men arrested after hideous murder of a Chinese tourist and his wife last Monday night
Love triangle murders in Thailand linked with popular TV soaps, foreigners and money
93% of Thai people want to see the death penalty put to use to curb shocking murders and drug gangs
Former Thai Government minister arrested – linked to kidnap and suspected murder of judge’s brother
