Thailand: Spanish actor's son sentenced for life on murder charges
Aug 29, 2024
Los Angeles [US], August 29 : Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho's son, Daniel Sancho Bronchalo has been found guilty of murdering a Colombian plastic surgeon at a Thai holiday resort before dismembering the body, CNN reported citing officials.
The Thai court on Thursday, sentenced Bronchalo, a YouTube chef, to life in prison.
The trial heard that the 30-year-old killed Arrieta after the pair had a fight and put parts of his body in plastic bags before discarding them around the island.
Notably, Sancho had faced the death penalty. But the court on the island of Koh Samui commuted the sentence to life imprisonment due to his cooperation during the trial.
He had admitted killing Arrieta but insisted it was not premeditated saying he had acted "out of his extreme anger," CNN reported citing Police Col Paisan Sangthep, deputy commander of the Surat Thani Provincial Police, who attended the hearing.
"The court saw his confession to the murder was useful during the trial. So the court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment," Paisan said.
The court found Bronchalo guilty on all three charges: premeditated murder, concealment of a body and hiding another person's documents.
Paisan said evidence showed Sancho had made preparations for the killing, suggesting it was premeditated.
"Before committing the murder, the defendant had bought a knife, gloves, plastic bags, garbage bags, (a cleaning sponge), cleaver knife and a saw," he said.
Before the murder, Sancho had booked a room in a different hotel to where the killing happened, Paisan added.
Sancho's parents, Silvia Bronchalo and Rodolfo Sancho - who are both actors - appeared in court, but the parents of the deceased were not present in the courtroom.
Rodolfo Sancho is one of the most recognizable faces on the small screen in Spain, having starred in the hit series "The Ministry of Time" and "Isabel," according to CNN.
Daniel Sancho was arrested in August last year, soon after the killing of Arrieta, a plastic surgeon from Monteria in northern Colombia.
Sancho, who wore a face mask to court, "appeared to accept his fate, with no objection" following his sentencing, Paisan said.
Sancho's lawyer, Marcos Garcia-Montes, told reporters he would appeal the sentence. Notably, he has the right to appeal to a higher court under Thai law.
