Bangkok: Police announced on Saturday that a Spanish man had confessed to killing and dismembering the body of another foreigner on the well-known Thai island of Koh Pha Ngan. The 44-year-old Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga is believed to be the owner of body parts, including hips and thighs, discovered Thursday at a garbage dump.
The murder's confessor has been identified as 29-year-old Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a tourist who arrived in Thailand on July 31. According to Panya Niratimanon, the police chief in Koh Pha Ngan, "He admitted it," and he also said that the investigation is still ongoing.
"The suspect's dubious activities suggest that he might murder the victim," Panya said. "The victim and the suspect knew each other before they came to Thailand."
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According to media reports, the suspect is a chef and the son of renowned Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho.
Pictures on Daniel Sancho's Instagram account, which also follows the victim's account, and images of the suspect appear to be a match. Rodolfo Sancho has previously tagged the Instagram account in posts.
AFP's requests for comment on Rodolfo Sancho, his agent, and the Spanish embassy in Bangkok were not immediately answered.
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Thailand is a country with few violent crimes and is generally safe. Numerous thousands of backpackers visit Koh Pha Ngan each year for its infamously wild "full moon" parties and its famed white sand beaches.
The double murder of two young British backpackers rocked Koh Tao in 2014, another popular tourist destination.
Rights organisations have charged Thai authorities with using the two Burmese nationals as scapegoats despite the fact that they are currently serving life sentences for the murders