Spanish Chef Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murder and Dismemberment in Thailand

A court in Thailand has sentenced Spanish chef Daniel Sancho Bronchalo to life imprisonment for the murder and dismemberment of Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga. The verdict was delivered by the Koh Samui Provincial Court on Thursday.

Sancho, a 30-year-old chef and YouTube personality from a notable Spanish acting family, was found guilty of killing Arrieta and then dismembering his body. The crime occurred in August 2023 while both men were vacationing on the tourist island of Koh Phangan, having arranged to meet online. According to court statements, Sancho cut up 44-year-old Arrieta’s body and concealed the remains in plastic bags, which were then scattered around the island.

Sancho admitted to dismembering and disposing of Arrieta’s body but denied that the murder was premeditated. His defense team contended that Sancho acted in self-defense after Arrieta allegedly attempted to sexually assault him. They claimed that during the struggle, Arrieta fell, hit his head on a bathtub, lost consciousness, and subsequently died.

The case came to light when garbage collectors discovered a sawn-off pelvis and intestines in a fertilizer sack, according to the Bangkok Post. Following the discovery, Sancho reported Arrieta as missing. Thai police gathered evidence linking Sancho to the crime, including surveillance footage showing him buying a knife, rubber gloves, trash bags, and cleaning supplies prior to Arrieta’s death. This evidence contributed to the charge of premeditated murder.

The trial attracted significant media attention in Spain due to Sancho’s father, Rodolfo Sancho, being a renowned actor. Although the court initially imposed the death penalty, the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment after Sancho’s account of the events during cross-examination. Additionally, Sancho was ordered to pay 4.4 million baht (approximately $130,000) in compensation to Arrieta’s family.

Bussakorn Kaewleeled, a lawyer for Arrieta’s family, expressed satisfaction with the life sentence and the financial compensation. “They are satisfied with the sentence because he will be put in prison for life and they receive some financial compensation,” she stated.

Carmen Balfagon, representing the Sancho family, acknowledged the unexpected life sentence but affirmed respect for the Thai judicial system. “We didn’t expect it [the life sentence], but we must accept what Thai justice has said, we have to respect it,” Balfagon remarked.

In his final statement to the court, Sancho expressed regret for his actions. “I am sorry that a life has been lost and that parents have lost a son,” he was quoted as saying by the Spanish newspaper El Pais.