Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a 30-year-old YouTube chef from a prominent Spanish acting family, has been sentenced to life in prison by a Thai court after being found guilty of premeditated murder. The case, which has captivated Spain, involves the murder of Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, a 44-year-old plastic surgeon from Colombia, during a vacation on the Thai holiday island of Koh Pha-ngan in August 2023.
Sancho, the son of well-known Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, admitted to the murder and dismemberment of Arrieta. He confessed to disposing of the victim’s body parts on land and at sea. The gruesome nature of the crime, coupled with Sancho’s family background, has drawn widespread media attention in Spain, with numerous reporters traveling to Thailand to cover the trial.
During the trial on the island of Samui, Sancho claimed that the murder occurred in self-defense after Arrieta allegedly attempted to sexually assault him. He testified that during a physical altercation, Arrieta fell, struck his head on a bathtub, and subsequently died. Sancho acknowledged that, in a panic, he dismembered Arrieta’s body to conceal the crime.
The Koh Samui provincial court initially sentenced Sancho to death, but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment due to his cooperation during the trial. The court’s decision to reduce the sentence also took into account the lack of prior criminal history and the nature of Sancho’s confession.
Bussakorn Kaewleeled, a lawyer representing Arrieta’s family, expressed satisfaction with the verdict, noting that the life sentence and financial compensation provided some measure of justice for the family. “The plaintiff is satisfied with the sentence because he will be put in prison for life and they receive some financial compensation,” Kaewleeled stated outside the court.
While Sancho’s defense argued that the killing was an act of self-defense, the prosecution maintained that the crime was premeditated, a claim supported by the methodical dismemberment and disposal of the body. The court ultimately sided with the prosecution, leading to the life sentence.
Thailand, which still has the death penalty for certain crimes including premeditated murder, rarely carries out executions, with the last execution taking place in 2018. Arrieta’s family had expressed a preference for a life sentence over the death penalty, a sentiment that was ultimately reflected in the court’s ruling.
This case has not only shocked the public but also highlighted the complexities and challenges of international justice systems dealing with such high-profile cases.