5-8-2023 (BANGKOK) In a shocking turn of events, a Spanish man has adamantly denied any connection to the horrifying murder that took place on the popular Thai island of Koh Phangan. The incident, characterized by its brutality, has captured the attention of both locals and tourists.
The suspect, identified as 29-year-old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, was taken into custody by authorities and questioned regarding the disappearance of his Colombian friend, Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, aged 44. The investigation unfolded after the discovery of dismembered human body parts at a landfill site on Koh Phangan, notorious for its vibrant Full Moon parties.
The unsettling findings were made by trash collectors on Thursday, who stumbled upon a sack containing a sawed-off pelvis and intestines weighing approximately five kilograms. The location, situated in Moo 4 of Koh Phangan, yielded further evidence when additional body parts were unearthed the following day. The contents of a black plastic bag included two legs, a black T-shirt, a pair of shorts, and red boxer shorts.
Prompted by these discoveries, the police, accompanied by forensic officers and medical personnel from Koh Phangan Hospital, brought in Mr. Sancho for questioning, under the leadership of Pol Lt Col Surapong Thanomjit, commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8. The authorities suspected that the recovered body parts belonged to the missing Colombian national.
According to the ongoing investigation, it was revealed that the Spanish and Colombian individuals were acquainted and had arranged to meet on Koh Phangan. Mr. Arrieta had reserved a room at a local hotel from July 31 to August 3, while Mr. Sancho arrived at the same hotel on July 31 and checked in before his Colombian friend’s arrival.
Mr. Sancho claimed that he went to pick up Mr. Arrieta from a pier on Koh Phangan around 3 PM on Wednesday. The two friends then proceeded to a restaurant and later visited Rin Beach, located near their hotel. Mr. Sancho informed the police that Mr. Arrieta went missing after midnight on Wednesday, emphasizing his lack of knowledge regarding the Colombian’s whereabouts.
Further investigation unveiled that Mr. Sancho had been staying in the room reserved by Mr. Arrieta. Additionally, he had booked another room at a hotel near Salad Beach for Tuesday and Wednesday. Notably, the Spanish man accompanied Mr. Arrieta to a restaurant close to the alternative hotel. However, after Wednesday night, no one reported seeing Mr. Arrieta.
During the examination of Mr. Sancho’s room, the authorities discovered that he had recently purchased a knife, rubber gloves, a kitchen sponge, a cleaning pad, a bottle of cleaning agent, and garbage bags from a convenience store on Tuesday evening. Further inspection revealed traces of blood, tissue, fat, and hair in the room’s drain, prompting the collection of samples for forensic analysis, as confirmed by Pol Lt Gen Surapong.
