Not every celebrity gets away with murder
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Spanish actor's son jailed for gruesome murder
The son of a renowned Spanish actor has been jailed for life after he killed and dismembered a man on the southern Thai island of Koh Phangan last year.
Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, the son of television star Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, claimed he killed Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga in self-defence. He pleaded guilty to the murder in August 2023.
At the time, Sancho, now 30, told Spanish news agency EFE he had been a "hostage" to Arrieta, who he said was obsessed with him.
The case has generated a huge amount of interest in Spain, with scores of Spanish reporters flying to Thailand for the trial.
Sancho was found guilty of premeditated murder, concealing a corpse, and destruction of property.
A court on nearby island Koh Samui, where the case was heard, initially issued a death sentence for murder, but this was commuted to life imprisonment after taking into account his cooperation during the trial.
Sancho, a chef who has his own YouTube channel, was also ordered to pay 4 million baht ($118,000; £89,000) in damages to Arrieta's family.
Bussakorn Kaewleeled, a lawyer for the victim's family, said they were satisfied with the outcome.
"The plaintiff is satisfied with the sentence because he (Sancho) will be put in prison for life and they (the plaintiff) receive some financial compensation," Bussakorn told reporters outside the court on the island of Koh Samui, AFP news agency reported.
Police discovered parts of Arrieta's body at a landfill in Koh Phangan in early August last year.
Around the same time, Sancho went to the police to report that Arrieta, then 44, was missing.
Sancho admitted to killing Arrieta upon further questioning.
Thai media reported last year that investigations had shown that Sancho had bought, among other things, a knife, rubber gloves and a bottle of cleaning agent - leading police to conclude the murder was premeditated.
Sancho later led police to seven sites around the island, where he disposed of Arrieta's dismembered body in plastic bags.
Reports said that Sancho and Arrieta had agreed to meet after getting to know each other online.
The defence argued that Sancho acted in self-defence after Arrieta tried to force him to have sex. Sancho said the plastic surgeon "tried to rape [him]", in a statement published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo.
Sancho hails from a family of actors. His mother is the actress Silvia Bronchalo, while his grandfather is the late actor Félix Ángel Sancho Gracia.
Comments
The facts:
- Daniel Sancho Bronchalo 30 and Edwin Arrieta Arteaga 44 are friends or they have a relationship.
- They met on the southern Thai Island of Kop Phangan.
- For some reason, there was a disagreement.
- Sancho killed Arrieta.
- Sancho dismembered and concealed a corpse of Arrieta.
The punishment:
- Death sentence.
- Life imprisonment.
The trial:
- Court on nearby island Koh Samui
- Evidences: A knife, rubber gloves and a bottle of cleaning agent-leading.
- Sancho admitted to killing Arrieta.
- The defense argued that Sancho acter in selg-defence after Arrieta tried to force
him to have sex.
The sentence:
- Guilty of murder.
I can´t say my opinion about the verdict because there are a few details about this case. Anyway, I suppose that there was a disagreement and the attempt to rape of the plastic surgeon could be an excuse of the defense.
See you.
I don't understand why you can't express an opinion even if you don't know all the details of the case (you have OPINIONS ON/ABOUT other things without knowing all the facts.
TO MY MIND, it was clearly murder. He planned the whole thing for reasons that we will probably never know. If I killed someone who was attacking me, I wouldn't CUT THEM UP. WHAT I DON'T GET IS how his family try to GET HIM OFF. The father COMES ACROSS AS a very arrogant man.
The facts:
- Daniel Sancho Bronchalo 30 and Edwin Arrieta Arteaga 44 WERE friends or IN A RELATIONSHIP.
- They met on the southern Thai Island of Kop Phangan.
- For some reason, there was a disagreement.
- Sancho killed Arrieta.
- Sancho dismembered and concealed ARIETA'S BODY.
The punishment:
- Death sentence COMMUTED TO Life imprisonment.
The trial:
- TOOK PLACE IN A court on THE nearby island OF Koh Samui
- EVIDENCE INCLUDED a knife, rubber gloves and a bottle of cleaning agent.
- Sancho admitted (to) killing Arrieta.
- The defence argued that Sancho acted in self-defence after Arrieta ALLEGEDLY tried to force him to have sex.
The VERDICT:
- Guilty of murder.
I can´t GIVE MY OPINION about the verdict because there are LIMITED DETAIL AVAILABLE about this case. HOWEVER, I suppose that there was a disagreement and the ALLEGED ATTEMPTED SEXUAL ASSAULT BY the plastic surgeon could be an excuse USED BY the defence.