Spanish chef Daniel Sancho and his defense insist on their version of events: the young man pleaded guilty to being the murderer, but he assures that the murder did not take place as the victim’s lawyers claim.
“I am prepared for the best and the worst.” Two days before the sentencing, Daniel Sancho 30-year-old Spanish chef charged with murder of Colombian surgeon Edwin Arrieta He still hoped that his version of events would convince the Thai authorities.
The young man was accused of premeditated murder, concealment of the body and destruction of documents belonging to others.
AND Sancho, son of the famous Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, admitted to being the murderer : depending on the context, he and Edwin Arrieta They met online and agreed to spend a few days together in Thailand, where they rented a bungalow. However, what should have been a reunion of friends ended with the death and dismemberment of the surgeon.
Thai prosecutors found Sancho guilty of all charges and sentenced him to life in prison. He will also have to pay compensation of 119,000 dollars (around 110 million Chilean pesos) to the victim’s family.
However, Sancho’s lawyers are now seeking to appeal the decision and insist that the young leader’s version of events was true: he did indeed murder Arrieta, but he claims it was an “accident”.
Daniel Sancho’s Defense Version of Edwin Arrieta’s Murder
As the trial was taking place at the Koh Samui court in Thailand, Daniel Sancho was questioned about his responsibility in the murder of Edwin Arrieta. It was in this case that the chief gave his statements and his own version of how the crime unfolded.
Sancho assured that It was “an accident.”
According to his story, It all started when the Colombian Arrieta wanted to take advantage of him, after asking him to have sex.
When he refused, the surgeon allegedly took him “hostage” : “It was a glass cage. “It made me destroy my relationship with my girlfriend, it forced me to do things I would never have done,” he said, as established EFE .
“He was obsessed with me. He deceived me, he made me believe that what he wanted was to do business with me, to put money into the company I am a partner in. That we did things together, that we went to Mexico, Chile, Colombia, to open a restaurant. But it was all a lie. The only thing she wanted was for me to be her boyfriend.
“He wanted to sleep with me and I told him no (…) Edwin was standing over me. He hit me and bit my hand. “We struggled, I pushed him and he hit his head.” assured Sancho in his statements at the trial.
He also established that When Arrieta’s head hit the toilet, the Colombian died instantly.
As compiled Infobae , When Sancho realized that Arrieta was dead, he went into a state of “shock” and, instead of calling emergency services or the police, he chose to dismember the body. and placed the coins in different bags which he then scattered in the sea and on the island, to make it disappear.
Nevertheless, Despite attempts by Sancho and his lawyers to establish that this is the official version of the case, Edwin Arrieta’s defense tells a very different story. which was eventually accepted by the Thai prosecution.
And the evidence seems irrefutable, because The knives, saw and plastic bags he used to dismember the Colombian were acquired by Sancho Before before Arrieta’s arrival in Thailand. These are the basic elements that the prosecution used to characterize the homicide as premeditated.
Moreover, all these tools were hidden by Sancho in the same room where he murdered the surgeon.
However, The young Spaniard defended himself against this evidence and said he had acquired the knives to “record cooking videos on YouTube”.
Daniel Sancho’s lawyers to appeal conviction
“We continue to believe that there was no premeditation and that this is not based on speculation.” said Marcos Garcia Montes, one of Daniel Sancho’s lawyers, once outside the trial where the Spaniard was found guilty.
“We studied the Penal Code and we do not agree. “Everyone has the right to defend themselves and we did it well.”
Sancho and his defense insist that the murder of Edwin Arrieta was not premeditated because, If the leader were convicted of accidental murder, the sentence would be three to 15 years in prison, according to Thai law.
this time That would be far less than the life sentence Sancho received for premeditated murder.
In fact, having been accused of this crimeFirst of all they wanted to sentence the Spaniard to death, which is legal in Thailand. However, Due to the fact that the young man “collaborated” in the investigation, they decided to reduce this sentence to life imprisonment.
With this resolutionThe Arrieta family’s defense assured that their parents are happy because “justice has been done.” However, they are struck by the fact that Sancho has not apologized to the family for the crime.
Infobae sources who followed all the hearings assured that “There are no regrets” from the young Spaniard.
In this regard, the legal representative in Thailand of the victim’s family, Bussakorn Kaewleeled, referred to this, who assured that “this life sentence also corresponds to the family’s wish that Daniel spends as much time as possible in prison.”
But he added: “More, when To this day and in this moment, we have still not heard sincere forgiveness, human forgiveness, for the harm done to the parents who did not say goodbye to their son and to a sister who was not able to say goodbye to her brother.
Source: Latercera
I am David Jack and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. As an experienced journalist, I specialize in covering sports news with a focus on golf. My articles have been published by some of the most respected publications in the world including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
