In a high-profile case that has captivated Spain, Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, the 30-year-old son of renowned Spanish television actor Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder and dismemberment of Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga on the Thai island of Koh Phangan in August 2023.
The verdict, delivered by a court on the nearby island of Koh Samui, found Sancho guilty of premeditated murder, concealing a corpse, and destruction of property. The court initially handed down a death sentence, which was later commuted to life imprisonment in consideration of Sancho’s cooperation during the trial. Additionally, Sancho has been ordered to pay 4 million baht (approximately $118,000 or £89,000) in damages to Arrieta’s family.
The case gained significant attention in Spain, with numerous Spanish journalists traveling to Thailand to cover the trial. Sancho, a chef with his own YouTube channel, initially claimed self-defense, telling Spanish news agency EFE that he had been a “hostage” to Arrieta, who he alleged was obsessed with him.
The grim details of the crime emerged as police discovered parts of Arrieta’s body at a landfill in Koh Phangan. Sancho had initially reported Arrieta, then 44, as missing before admitting to the killing upon further questioning. Thai media reported that investigators found evidence of premeditation, including Sancho’s purchase of a knife, rubber gloves, and cleaning agents.
In a chilling turn of events, Sancho led police to seven sites around the island where he had disposed of Arrieta’s dismembered remains in plastic bags. The two men had reportedly met online and agreed to meet in person on the island.
The defense argued that Sancho acted in self-defense, claiming that Arrieta had attempted to force him into sexual activity. In a statement published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Sancho alleged that the plastic surgeon “tried to rape [him].”
Bussakorn Kaewleeled, the lawyer representing Arrieta’s family, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, stating that the family was pleased with both the life sentence and the financial compensation awarded.
Sancho comes from a family of actors, with his mother being actress Silvia Bronchalo and his grandfather the late actor Félix Ángel Sancho Gracia. The case has not only shocked the Spanish public but has also raised questions about the circumstances that led to this tragic event on a popular Thai tourist island.
Melissa Enoch
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