The Samui Provincial Court sentenced the son of Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho to life imprisonment on Thursday for the high-profile murder and dismemberment of a Colombian man last year on Koh Phangan, a popular tourist island.
Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, 30, was found guilty of the premeditated murder of 44-year-old Edwin Arrieta Arteaga. According to the court’s statement, Sancho dismembered and concealed the victim’s body.
Daniel Sancho, son of actor Rodolfo Sancho—known for his role in “El Ministerio del Tiempo” (The Ministry of Time)—and actress Silvia Bronchalo, admitted to hiding the body but denied premeditated murder, according to the court.
Throughout the trial, Sancho claimed the August 2023 killing of Arteaga, a plastic surgeon, was in self-defense, as reported by Thai media. His lawyer declined to comment when contacted by Reuters on Thursday.
At the time of the incident, Sancho, a chef, was on holiday in Thailand. He dismembered the victim’s body and disposed of the remains in plastic bags around the island.
The court initially sentenced Sancho to death but reduced the sentence to life imprisonment due to his testimony during cross-examination. He was also ordered to pay the victim’s family 4.42 million baht in compensation.
