The son of a famend Spanish actor has been jailed for all times after he killed and dismembered a person on the southern Thai island of Koh Phangan final 12 months.
Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, the son of tv star Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, claimed he killed Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga in self-defence. He pleaded responsible to the homicide in August 2023.
On the time, Sancho, now 30, instructed Spanish information company EFE he had been a “hostage” to Arrieta, who he stated was obsessive about him.
The case has generated an enormous quantity of curiosity in Spain, with scores of Spanish reporters flying to Thailand for the trial.
Sancho was discovered responsible of premeditated homicide, concealing a corpse, and destruction of property.
A court docket on close by island Koh Samui, the place the case was heard, initially issued a dying sentence for homicide, however this was commuted to life imprisonment after bearing in mind his cooperation throughout the trial.
Sancho, a chef who has his personal YouTube channel, was additionally ordered to pay 4 million baht ($118,000; £89,000) in damages to Arrieta’s household.
Bussakorn Kaewleeled, a lawyer for the sufferer’s household, stated they have been happy with the end result.
“The plaintiff is happy with the sentence as a result of he (Sancho) can be put in jail for all times they usually (the plaintiff) obtain some monetary compensation,” Bussakorn instructed reporters outdoors the court docket on the island of Koh Samui, AFP information company reported.
Police found elements of Arrieta’s physique at a landfill in Koh Phangan in early August final 12 months.
Across the similar time, Sancho went to the police to report that Arrieta, then 44, was lacking.
Sancho admitted to killing Arrieta upon additional questioning.
Thai media reported final 12 months that investigations had proven that Sancho had purchased, amongst different issues, a knife, rubber gloves and a bottle of cleansing agent – main police to conclude the homicide was premeditated.
Sancho later led police to seven websites across the island, the place he disposed of Arrieta’s dismembered physique in plastic luggage.
Reviews stated that Sancho and Arrieta had agreed to fulfill after attending to know one another on-line.
The defence argued that Sancho acted in self-defence after Arrieta tried to drive him to have intercourse. Sancho stated the plastic surgeon “tried to rape [him]”, in an announcement printed by Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
Sancho hails from a household of actors. His mom is the actress Silvia Bronchalo, whereas his grandfather is the late actor Félix Ángel Sancho Gracia.
Further reporting by Ryn Jirenuwat in Bangkok