A court in Thailand has sentenced a 30-year-old Spanish chef, Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, to life in prison for the premeditated murder of a 44-year-old Colombian plastic surgeon, Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, on the holiday island of Koh Pha-ngan. The Koh Samui Provincial Court initially handed down a death sentence, which was later commuted to life imprisonment due to Sancho's cooperation during the trial.
Sancho, who hails from a famous Spanish acting family, claimed that the murder occurred during a scuffle with Arrieta, whom he accused of attempting to sexually assault him. He stated that Arrieta fell, hit his head on a bathtub, and subsequently died. Despite pleading not guilty to premeditated murder, Sancho admitted to dismembering the victim's body and disposing of the parts both on land and at sea.
Aside from the murder charge, Sancho was also found guilty of concealing or damaging a body, for which he received a four-month prison sentence, reduced to two months for acknowledging the act. Additionally, he was convicted of destroying Arrieta's passport, resulting in a two-year prison term.
The case, which involved a violent death on a popular holiday island, garnered significant media attention in Spain due to Sancho's celebrity connections and the sensational details of the crime. HBO even produced a Spanish-language documentary on the events surrounding the murder.
The investigation began when trash collectors discovered a sawed-off pelvis and intestines weighing approximately 11 pounds in a fertilizer sack at a garbage dump. Subsequently, Sancho reported Arrieta as missing, leading police to link the two men and detain Sancho for interrogation.
Throughout the trial, prosecutors presented evidence, including surveillance footage of Sancho purchasing items like a knife, rubber gloves, garbage bags, and cleaning solutions before Arrieta's death, to support the charge of premeditated murder. Despite the police narrative suggesting a motive related to a threatened sexual relationship, Sancho denied such allegations.
In his closing statement, Sancho expressed remorse for his actions, acknowledging the loss of a life and the pain inflicted on Arrieta's family. He also apologized for the improper handling of the victim's remains.
