Spanish actor's son jailed for 'killing and dismembering' man on Thai island

The son of a famous Spanish actor was sentenced to life imprisonment on Thursday (Aug 29) in Thailand for killing and dismembering a man on the southern Thai island of Koh Phangan last year.

Daniel Sancho Bronchalo is the son of renowned TV star Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre. He claimed that hekilled the Colombian plastic surgeon Edwin Arrieta in self-defence as he was trying to molest him. Sancho pleaded guilty to murder in August 2023.

A court on the nearby island of Koh Samui, where the case was heard, initially issued a death sentence for Sancho, but this was changed to life imprisonment after taking into account his cooperation during the trial.

Apart from the life sentence, Sancho is also ordered to pay 4 million baht ($118,000) in damages to Arrieta’s family.

The victim’s lawyer, Bussakorn Kaewleeled, said the family is satisfied with the outcome of this case.

"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 reported to the police that Arrieta, then 44, was missing. He 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.

As per one of Sancho’s interviews with the Spanish media, he was held “hostage” by Arrieta as the surgeon was obsessed with him. The defence also argued that Sancho acted in self-defence after Arrieta tried to force him to have sex.

In a statement published by Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Sancho said the plastic surgeon “tried to rape [him].”

Sancho and Arrieta had agreed to meet after getting to know each other online, as per reports.

Sancho is a chef by profession and also runs a YouTube channel. He hails from a family of influential actors. His mother is actress Silvia Bronchalo, while his grandfather is the late actor Félix Ángel Sancho Gracia.

(With inputs from agencies)