The Spanish man in police custody on Pha-ngan Island, for questioning over the murder and decapitation of a Columbian, has allegedly confessed to the killing.
Pol Maj-Gen Saranyu Chamnanrat, commander of Surat Thani provincial police, said Saturday that the suspect, only identified by police as Daniel, told his police interrogators that he killed his Colombian friend, a 44-year-old cosmetic surgeon called Edwin, and cut his body into pieces, some of which were dumped into the sea while others were stuffed into plastic bags and discarded at a garbage dump.
Saranyu said, however, that the suspect refused to disclose the motive for the murder, adding that he will be questioned further and that an arrest warrant will be issued when police can confirm that DNA found in his resort room matches that from the body parts found at the garbage dump.
According to police reports, Daniel arrived on Pha-Ngan Island on July 31st and took two rooms at a resort on Thong Nai Pan beach. On August 2nd, he rode a motorcycle to the island’s pier to pick up his Colombian friend, Edwin, and tookhim to another resort on Salad beach. On the same night, Daniel reported to the police that Edwin was missing from his room.
The previous day, Daniel was captured on CCTV riding a motorcycle back to his resort from a department store, where he reportedly bought a knife, plastic bags and cleansing fluid.
With all this evidence, pending the outcome of DNA analysis, Saranyu said police consider Daniel to be the prime suspect in the murder of Edwin, because he was the last person to be seen with the victim.
