Spanish star’s son sentenced to life for murder on Koh Pha Ngan
In a chilling case that shocked both Spain and Thailand, Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, son of prominent Spanish actors Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre and Silvia Bronchalo, has been sentenced to life in prison for the premeditated murder of Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga. The gruesome crime took place last August on the idyllic Thai island of Koh Pha Ngan.
Originally handed the death penalty, Sancho’s sentence was reduced to life imprisonment due to his cooperation during the trial, according to Police Colonel Paisan Sangthep, deputy commander of the Surat Thani Provincial Police.
Sancho, a 30 year old chef and YouTuber, was on holiday with Arteaga when, according to his testimony, a violent altercation erupted. Sancho claimed that the fight began when the Colombian man allegedly attempted to sexually assault him. The confrontation escalated, resulting in Arteaga’s fatal head injury after he fell and struck his head on a bathtub.
Despite his claim of self-defence, Sancho admitted to dismembering the plastic surgeon’s body and disposing of the remains on land and at sea. He received a two-month prison sentence for concealing the body and a two-year sentence for destroying the victim’s passport.
The salacious nature of the crime, coupled with Sancho’s celebrity lineage, captivated the public’s attention, leading to extensive media coverage in Spain. HBO has even produced a Spanish-language documentary detailing the tragic events.
The grim discovery of dismembered body parts by trash collectors in Thailand led to Sancho’s arrest after he reported Arrieta missing, reported AP News.
Sancho, in his closing statement, expressed deep remorse.
“I am sorry that a life has been lost and that parents have lost a son.”
UPDATE: Bombshell details emerge in Koh Pha Ngan murder
On Koh Pha Ngan, after 29 year old rising star Spanish chef Daniel Sancho Bronchalo brutally murdered and carved up his alleged lover, 44 year old Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, the missing top half of his body has now been recovered. Further details of the motive have been revealed but not confirmed.
The torso and head of the murdered Colombian businessman who owned a plastic surgery clinic were pulled from the north shore of the holiday party island Koh Pha Ngan within the last few hours. Bronchalo had reportedly confessed to police that he had carved up the body and put some parts in a suitcase, and last night police identified the owners of a kayak the chef had desperately attempted to rent and then buy before using to paddle out to sea and dump the body.
A coalition of officials and locals have been following leads and scouring the shores and coastal waters before the suitcase was recovered and its grizzly contents verified.
While the crime took place on Buddha Day, just as thousands were flocking to the island for the Full Moon Party, the murder took place far from the party and was wholly unrelated. But the Spanish chef was reportedly escorted to the south of Pha Ngan to some areas overlooking the party beach earlier this afternoon when police mistakenly believed there may have been some additional evidence to collect there.
Perhaps the most shocking bit of new information to come out is the unconfirmed suggestion that the murder was not a crime of passion in the moment, but a planned and premeditated murder Bronchalo had planned and invited Arteaga to Pha Ngan specifically for.
Bronchalo had been reportedly picked up by the CCTV of Big C in Pha Ngan, buying large knives, garbage bags and other tools before the murder, and before his alleged lover arrived on the island. It is believed that Bronchalo invited Arteaga to Koh Pha Ngan to murder him.
It is rumoured that his lover planned or asked to end their relationship with the Colombian man planning to marry a woman, but this information has not been confirmed.
Arteaga is believed to have arrived in Pha Ngan on August 2 and was murdered that same day. The Spanish chef allegedly told police that he punched his lover in the face to stun him and then bashed his head against the kitchen sink until Arteaga was dead.
He then apparently used his culinary skills with knives to carve up the body. But he seemingly didn’t have a solid plan for disposing of the body, leading him to buy a kayak in the middle of the night to dispose of half, while quickly dumping the other half in trash bags at a local garbage drop site.
Bronchalo is the son of famous Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho who just a few months ago was promoting a new program on Netflix and the grandson of legendary actor Sancho Gracia, who in 1968 infamously had an affair with renowned American actress and model Raquel Welch that led to her husband chasing Garcia around at gunpoint.
Just two weeks ago, Bronchalo’s father was singing his son’s praises at an awards show, saying he was proud of Daniel’s catering company called La Bohème and a restaurant called Boogie. The alleged murderer’s father is now on his way to Thailand, making his way to Koh Pha Ngan to be by his son.
UPDATE: Kayak found as Spanish chef admits disposing body of lover off coast
In an update in the ongoing murder investigation, a kayak, speculated to be used by a Spanish chef to dispose of his former Colombian surgeon lover’s dismembered body parts, was discovered on Saturday off the coast of Koh Pha Ngan, stated the police.
The chef, 29 year old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, the descendant of several prominent Spanish actors, is accused of murdering and dissecting the remains of 44 year old Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, a national of Colombia, at a local hotel this week.
Sanitation workers uncovered various body parts including a sawn-off pelvis and intestines weighing approximately 5 kilogrammes within a fertiliser sack at a waste disposal site in Moo 4 precinct of Koh Pha Ngan.
Bronchalo was escorted for questioning to the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station yesterday concerning the disappearance of Arteaga. He initially refuted all accusations, but upon further probing, the Spanish chef confessed to the murder and dissection of Arteaga at the hotel.
His statement disclosed that he placed portions of the body in a fertiliser sack and abandoned it at the town’s waste disposal centre. Additional remains were packed into a suitcase, which the Spanish chef transported out to the open sea using a kayak and discarded overboard.
Today, police officials disclosed the discovery of a kayak at Salat Beach, located approximately 300 metres from the hotel where the gruesome act transpired. The vessel is believed to have been utilised by the Spanish chef to dispose of the suitcase full of human remains.
Two women, known as Tuk and Kanda, the initial proprietors of the kayak, were brought in for questioning by the police. The duo explained that around 9pm this Tuesday, the man from Spain arrived at their business premises and inquired about renting their vessel.
They initially declined the request, citing safety concerns for the tourist venturing out at night. However, expressing displeasure and urgency, he proposed to purchase the vessel for 1,000 US dollars, an offer that the women accepted.
The suspect, Bronchalo, is recognised as the offspring of the Spanish actor, Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, and actress, Silvia Bronchalo. Known for his culinary skills in his Spanish homeland, Bronchalo maintains a YouTube channel showcasing his professional prowess as a chef.
In contrast, the victim, Arteaga, ran a profitable cosmetic surgery practice in Monteria, Colombia, a significant city in the northwest segment of the South American country. It was speculated that the two individuals were romantically involved.
ORIGINAL STORY: Spanish chef brutally murders Colombian partner in Thai island horror
On the island of Koh Pha Ngan, located in the southern province of Surat Thani, a horrifying crime occurred as a Spanish chef confessed to the brutal murder and dismemberment of his Colombian partner. The crime was alleged to have taken place before the culprit dumped the body fragments in trash bags discovered in a local landfill and into the sea.
The son of famous Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho and the grandson of actor Sancho Gracia, 29 year old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo is known for his culinary skills in his Spanish homeland and an active participant on his YouTube channel.
But the Spanish man now finds himself at the centre of a murder investigation on Friday. He faced intensive questioning at the Koh Pha Ngan Police Station about the sudden vanishing of 44 year old Edwin Arrieta Arteaga. Having just arrived on the island on August 2, Arteaga, a successful Colombian businessman, ran a plastic surgery clinic in Monteria, Colombia.
Initially, Bronchalo denied any association with the gruesome crime after he first reported Arteaga missing. However, under rigorous questioning by the Thai police yesterday, the Spanish chef conceded to the ruthless murder, thereby confirming the suspicions held by the authorities.
Apprehensions grew stronger concerning the harrowing murder after the discovery of alarming evidence in a hotel room, suspected to be the scene of the crime. Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 8, Surapong Thanomjit, informed that the forensic team uncovered traces of human hair, fat, and tissue from the room’s drainage system. He further stated that the samples had been dispatched for examination in Yala and the results are anticipated today.
The incriminating security footage retrieved from various locations across the island – including video of the Spanish chef purchasing a knife, saw, and garbage bags – further solidified Bronchalo’s connection to the murder. Asserting that Bronchalo was the last individual seen in the company of the victim, the video evidence prompted officers to pursue an arrest warrant for him.
Additionally, family members of Arteaga informed the investigation team about the Spanish chef’s year-long romantic involvement with the victim, potentially providing a key lead to the motive of this horrific murder. An early hypothesis put forth by the police, led by Surapong Thanomjit, suggests a possible spark of jealousy that might have driven this course of action. However, the motive remains uncertain at this stage of the investigation.
“We do not yet know the motive for the murder. We initially believe it might stem from a fit of jealousy.”
