The death of a plastic surgeon on a vacation island in Thailand has resulted in the life sentence of a YouTube chef who was found guilty of the crime.
Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, a Colombian national, was found dead on Koh Pha-ngan, which is located in southern Thailand, in August of last year. Daniel Sancho Bronchalo was found guilty of her murder.
Bronchalo, who is thirty years old, is the son of Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, a well-known Spanish actor, and Silvia Bronchalo, who is also considered to be an actor. To hear the verdict on Thursday, both were present in court.
When Mr. Arteaga attempted to sexually assault Sancho, Sancho testified in his trial that he acted in self-defence and defended himself.
It was his assertion that they had gotten into a quarrel and that the 44-year-old had fallen and struck his head on a bathtub, causing him to lose consciousness and then pass away.
However, he admitted to dismembering the body and disposing of the parts both on land and at water. He had denied that he had committed the murder with premeditation.
The prosecution claimed that the surveillance video that the police had retrieved showed Sancho allegedly buying a knife, rubber gloves, trash bags, and cleaning supplies at a convenience store before Arrieta passed away. This provided additional evidence to support the accusation of premeditated murder with the prosecution.
The police had asserted that Sancho had admitted to the murder, stating that he had planned it because Mr. Arteaga had threatened to bring shame upon him and his family by disclosing the purported sexual relationship that they had.
During his closing statement earlier in the course of his trial, Sancho expressed his regret for his behaviour, according to the Spanish newspaper El Pas.
“I am sorry that a life has been lost and that parents have lost a son,” Sancho stated in his statement. I am sorry that his family was unable to properly bury him. I am sorry for their loss. I am sorry for the actions that I took after the death.
As a result of his confession, he was required to serve a prison sentence of four months for the crime of hiding or destroying a body. However, his sentence was reduced by half.
Additionally, he had entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of destroying the documents of another individual, including the victim’s passport, for which he was sentenced to two years in jail.
According to the authorities, the provincial court in Koh Samui handed down an initial sentence of death for Sancho; however, the sentence was modified to life imprisonment because he cooperated during the trial.
It was a massive sensation in Spain due to the features of the case, which included a brutal killing on a vacation island, celebrity ties, and salacious details. As a result, HBO decided to film a documentary in Spanish about the events that transpired.
Bussakorn Kaewleeled, a lawyer representing the family of the victim, stated that they were pleased with the consequences of the case.
Bussakorn stated to reporters outside the courthouse: “The plaintiff is satisfied with the sentence because he [Sancho] will be put in prison for life and they [the plaintiff] receive some financial compensation.”