Daniel Sancho, a young Spaniard, is at the center of a high-profile case in Thailand. He faces charges connected to the death and dismemberment of Edwin Arrieta, a Colombian surgeon. On August 2, he is scheduled to appear before a judge once more as he defends himself and presents the account he has shared with family and friends in the past.
The defense outlines a version in which Sancho attempted to end a relationship with Arrieta at a bungalow in Thailand where they had hoped to spend time together, but Arrieta allegedly refused to accept the breakup and allegedly tried to force himself on Sancho. According to this account, Arrieta was unreceptive to the separation and engaged in coercive conduct.
Hits and bites
The narrative describes a violent confrontation between the two men that began in the bungalow, as reported by Thai authorities. In Sancho’s rendition, Arrieta allegedly struck him and bit him during the altercation.
Sancho maintains that he attempted to step back and defend himself, but Arrieta reportedly pressed forward and struck his head against a bathroom fixture, resulting in a fracture that led to Arrieta’s death, a finding later confirmed by autopsy records.
From Instagram to the bungalow
The two men reportedly met on Instagram, and within a week Arrieta traveled to Spain to meet Sancho in person. Their time together spanned various locations including Madrid, Segovia, and Ibiza, with Arrieta often handling expenses. He is described as providing funds for culinary ventures and other projects, and there were mentions of plans that allegedly included expanding into hospitality in a property tied to Mexico.
According to some sources, Sancho began to sense that his relationship with Arrieta carried a dangerous dynamic. He is said to have described feeling coerced and claimed that Arrieta made him feel like a sexual object, with pressure to consent to acts he did not want. Some reports emphasize that Sancho did not identify as gay, yet he found himself drawn into a deeply intimate and troubling scenario that he later perceived as a harmful pact.
As summer progressed, Sancho reportedly decided to end the relationship and began communicating this to friends, hinting that appearances had been deceptive. He allegedly warned Arrieta that things were not as they seemed. According to Sancho, Arrieta continued to press aggressively, including in conversations with mutual acquaintances.
Injuries and aftermath
Sancho allegedly arrived in Thailand at the end of July, with Arrieta arriving on August 2. The two were seen at a bungalow where Sancho had arranged to spend time away from others. In this account, Sancho says he intended to part ways with Arrieta but contends that Arrieta attempted another assault, leading to multiple injuries to Arrieta, including an injury to the back, arm, and forearm, and a bite noted in the timeline of events.
Photographs and police statements depict Sancho explaining how the situation escalated. He asserts that a confrontation ensued with Arrieta growing more aggressive, and Arrieta reportedly struck his head on a sink, an impact that could have caused Arrieta’s death. Sancho acknowledges dismembering the body after the events and placing the remains into containers before discarding them at sea.
The proceedings on November 13 found Sancho in court on the island of Samui, where he has remained since his arrest on August 7. The charges under consideration include premeditated murder, concealment of the victim, and the destruction of evidence. Sancho is expected to respond to these accusations in due course, with the defense preparing further statements and a formal response to the charges.
Notes and testimonies from authorities continue to shape the evolving narrative of this case, which has drawn international attention and prompted extensive media coverage. The factual timeline, including the alleged sequence of events and the details of the injuries, remains the subject of ongoing judicial examination and public discussion. Attribution: reporting compiled from multiple sources and case summaries with a focus on preserving the sequence of events as presented by investigative authorities and publicly available records.