Spanish Chef Loses Appeal in Thai Murder Case, Life Sentence Upheld

SURAT THANI — Thailand's Court of Appeals Region 8 has upheld a life sentence for Spanish chef Daniel Sancho Bronchalo over the premeditated murder and dismemberment of Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta Arteaga on Koh Phangan in 2023. The court read its ruling at Koh Samui Provincial Court on 25 September, rejecting appeals by both Sancho and Arrieta's parents. Sancho, the son of Spanish television and film actor Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, was convicted of killing Arrieta and dismembering his body before disposing of the remains and destroying the victim's passport. According to the court, Sancho's claim that Arrieta died accidentally during a fight was inconsistent with his earlier statement to investigators. The court said Sancho had bought a knife, saw, cleaver, rubbish bags, rubber gloves and cleaning equipment and kept them at the hotel room he had booked before Arrieta arrived on Koh Phangan. The court said Sancho could have sought medical assistance or contacted hotel staff after Arrieta was injured but instead remained in the room for about an hour before dismembering the body. The court therefore found that the killing was premeditated. Sancho had admitted to concealing, moving or destroying the body to conceal the death or its cause, but denied premeditated murder and damaging or destroying the victim's passport. The Koh Samui Provincial Court previously sentenced Sancho to death, but reduced the punishment to life imprisonment after taking his confession into account. It also ordered him to pay 4.424 million baht in compensation to Arrieta's parents, who had joined the case as co-plaintiffs and sought 30 million baht. The Court of Appeals Region 8 ruled that the first instance court's sentence and compensation order were lawful and upheld the judgment.