A Spanish YouTube chef gets life in prison for murder in Thailand

BANGKOK (AP) — A court in Thailand on Thursday found Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a member of a famous Spanish acting family, guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison, in a lurid case that involved the victim being dismembered.

The Koh Samui Provincial Court issued an initial sentence of death for Sancho but commuted it to life imprisonment due to his cooperation during the trial, said Police Col. Paisan Sangthep, deputy commander of the Surat Thani Provincial Police, who attended the hearing.

Sancho, a 30-year-old chef with a YouTube channel, had been charged with the murder of Edwin Arrieta Arteaga, a 44-year-old plastic surgeon from Colombia, when both were vacationing on the Thai holiday island of Koh Pha-ngan in August last year.

The island is famous for its monthly “Full Moon” beach parties, attracting travelers from around the world for all-night raves.

The convicted man is the son of Rodolfo Sancho Aguirre, a prominent Spanish actor, and Silvia Bronchalo, who has also been in acting. Both parents are 49 years old and attended Thursday's court session.

The court also ordered Sancho to pay more than 4.2 million baht ($125,000) in compensation to the victim's family. Lawyers representing the family at the trial had asked for 30 million baht ($882,000), Spain’s EFE news agency reported.

EFE also quoted Sancho's father Rodolfo telling media after the verdict that he intended “to always keep fighting, to keep fighting."

At his trial on the island of Samui, Daniel Sancho had claimed he got into a fight with Arrieta for allegedly trying to sexually assault him. He said that Arrieta fell as they scuffled and hit his head on a bathtub, losing consciousness and then dying.

He had pleaded not guilty to charges of premeditated murder.

Sancho acknowledged dismembering the victim’s body and disposing of the parts on land and at sea. For the charge of concealing or damaging a body, he received a four-month prison sentence, reduced to two months for acknowledging the act, said Paisan.

He had also pleaded not guilty to the charge of destroying another person's documents — the victim’s passport — for which he received a two-year prison term.

The elements of the case — violent death on a holiday island, the celebrity connections and the lurid details — attracted huge coverage in Spanish media. HBO produced a Spanish-language documentary on the events.

The case came to light when trash collectors found what the Bangkok Post newspaper described as a sawed-off pelvis and intestines weighing about 5 kilograms (11 pounds) in a fertilizer sack at a garbage dump.

Shortly after that, Sancho reported to police that Arrieta was missing, and police then gathered evidence linking the two men that led them to detain and interrogate him.

Police established a narrative, claiming to the press that Sancho had confessed to the murder and saying he had planned it because Arrieta threatened to disgrace him and his family by revealing their alleged sexual relationship.

Sancho, through his father and his lawyers, said that was a distorted version of what he told police, and denied having a sexual relationship with Arrieta.

Police obtained surveillance video showing Sancho allegedly purchasing a knife, rubber gloves, garbage bags and cleaning solutions at a convenience store before Arrieta's death, which prosecutors claimed bolstered the charge of premeditated murder.

In his closing statement earlier in his trial, Sancho told the court he regretted his actions, the Spanish newspaper El País reported.

“I am sorry that a life has been lost and that parents have lost a son,” Sancho said. “I am sorry that his family was not able to bury him properly. I’m sorry for what I did after the death.”

Under certain conditions, Sancho can apply to be repatriated to serve the remainder of his prison term back home after several years of incarceration in Thailand, according to a treaty between Thailand and Spain.

The handful of Spanish nationals in Thai prisons includes another man convicted of premeditated murder and dismembering his victim.

Artur Segarra Princep was convicted of the 2016 killing of fellow Spaniard David Bernat. Police suspected that Segarra robbed the victim, whom he was said to have known. The body was kept in a freezer in Segarra’s Bangkok apartment until parts were tossed into Thailand's Chao Phraya River.

His 2017 death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2020 by Thailand's King Maha Vajiralongkorn.

A prisoner van carrying Daniel Sancho Bronchalo arrives at Koh Samui provincial court in Surat Thani, southern Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. A court in Thailand has found Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a member of a famous Spanish acting family, guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison, in a lurid case that involved the victim being dismembered. (AP Photo/Thanapat Cherajin)

Spanish actress Silvia Bronchalo, mother of Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, leaves from Koh Samui provincial court in Surat Thani, southern Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. A court in Thailand has found Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a member of a famous Spanish acting family, guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison, in a lurid case that involved the victim being dismembered. (AP Photo/Thanapat Cherajin)

Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, father of Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, leaves from Koh Samui provincial court in Surat Thani, southern Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. A court in Thailand has found Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, a member of a famous Spanish acting family, guilty of premeditated murder and sentenced him to life in prison, in a lurid case that involved the victim being dismembered. (AP Photo/Thanapat Cherajin)

FILE - A Thai police officer escorts Spanish Daniel Sancho Bronchalo on suspicion of murdering and dismembering a Colombian surgeon from Koh Phagnan island to Koh Samui Island court, southern Thailand, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Somkeat Ruksaman, File )

Media gate is seen outside Koh Samui provincial court in southern Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Thanapat Cherajin)

Spanish Actress Silvia Bronchalo, mother of Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, arrives at Koh Samui provincial court in southern Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. A court in Thailand is expected to sentence the son of the actor accused of killing and dismembering a Colombian surgeon on a popular tourist island.(AP Photo/Thanapat Cherajin)

Spanish actor Rodolfo Sancho, father of Daniel Sancho Bronchalo, talks to reporters arrives at Koh Samui provincial court in southern Thailand, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024. A court in Thailand is expected to sentence the son of the actor accused of killing and dismembering a Colombian surgeon on a popular tourist island.(AP Photo/Thanapat Cherajin)

NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Patton Kizzire hugged a tree on the way to the first tee Friday as part of a mental exercise, then patiently worked his way around Silverado to take the lead into the weekend in the FedEx Cup Fall series opener.

Working with a new mental coach who has him embracing a more relaxed and even approach, Kizzire shot a 7-under 65 for a one-stroke advantage over David Lipsky in the Procore Championship.

Kizzire joked about some of the things his new mental coach has him doing, like walking around barefoot and hugging trees.

“It’s been really cool to just get organized and try to be more playful out there and be unflappable,” Kizzire said.

Kizzire had seven birdies, six on the back nine, as he seeks his first victory on the PGA Tour since 2018.

“I didn’t have my best stuff today, especially off the tee or into the green, but I putted well again,” Kizzire said. “My patience in the mental game and my putting have really kept me in it and allowed me to play really well.”

Kizzire had a 13-under 131 total on the picturesque course in the heart of Napa Valley wine country.

Lipsky, the first-round leader, had a 67 that included eight birdies, an eagle, three bogeys and a double bogey.

Patrick Fishburn was 11 under after a 65. He had six birdies and an eagle to overcome a bogey on his 17th hole.

Matt Kuchar and J.J. Spaun were 10 under. The 46-year-old Kuchar, who caused a bit of controversy at the Wyndham Championship in August when he walked off the course because of darkness then returned the next day to finish his final round, had nine birdies and a bogey to tie for the best round of the day with a 64. Spaun shot 65.

Defending champion Sahith Theegala was four shots back after a 66.

Kizzire got off to a slow start and was sputtering off the tee and with his approach shots before heating up with six birdies on the back nine. He capped his afternoon with two long putts, one from 28 feet and the other from 13.

“I could have gotten frustrated or talked about a bad shot or worried about, ‘Well why am I not hitting it like I want to?’” Kizzire said. “I just chose not to do that. I still didn’t play my best on the back nine but I capitalized whenever I had an opportunity and made a few good putts.”

Lipsky was in good shape after holing out for an eagle on No. 16. He hit a gap wedge with his second shot that hit past the flag, bounced then spun back in the hole.

After three consecutive birdies on the back nine put him atop the leaderboard at 14 under, Lipsky picked up a penalty stroke when his tee shot on No. 8 sailed out-of-bounds.

“A little bit of everything but overall I’m really happy,” Lipsky said. “My game plan was to still stay aggressive and not back off at all. That’s sort of what I did.”

Two-time tournament champion Max Homa failed to make the cut. Presidents Cup International team captain Mike Weir, 2020 tournament champ Stewart Cink and Wyndham Clark also dropped out.

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Patton Kizzire hits from the eighth tee during the first round of the Procore Championship PGA golf tournament at the Silverado Resort North Course in Napa, Calif., Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)