A man has been charged with two counts of murder after human remains were discovered in suitcases at a historic bridge in Bristol and in an apartment in London, England.
On Monday, July 15, the Metropolitan Police confirmed in a press release that 34-year-old Yostin Andres Mosquera had been arrested in Bristol on July 13 before being charged in the early hours of Monday.
“The two victims in this case can now be named as 62-year-old Albert Alfonso and 71-year-old Paul Longworth,” the release read in part. “Albert and Paul had previously been in a relationship and still lived together at the flat in Scotts Road, W12 [where the remains were discovered].”
“Both victims were known to the man arrested and he had been staying with them at the Scotts Road flat for a short period of time,” the release continued.
Mosquera appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on July 15.
In a news release shared on Thursday, July, 11, Avon and Somerset Police said they received a report of a man with a suitcase acting suspiciously on the Clifton Suspension Bridge the previous evening. Officers arrived at the bridge within 10 minutes, however the man had already departed the area and had left the suitcase behind. A second suitcase was then located nearby soon after, with police later confirming that human remains had been found in the two suitcases.
Further remains were also found at a residence in Shepherds Bush, London, on Friday, July 12, according to the BBC. Police said the suspect had travelled to Bristol from London on Wednesday, July 10, before taking a taxi to the bridge.
“We are making thorough enquiries to establish whether there may be any linked offences in the UK or overseas but so far none have been identified,” the Metropolitan Police continued in their release. “Detectives will continue to build a full picture of the circumstances, including any previous incident that may be linked in any way to this case.”
They also added that while the evidence so far doesn’t suggest a homophobic motive for the murders, officers have followed national guidelines and classified the incident as a hate crime.
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“I know that this awful incident will cause concern not just among residents in Shepherds Bush but in the wider LGBTQ+ community across London. I hope it will be of some reassurance that whilst enquiries are still ongoing and the investigation is at a relatively early stage, we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection with the two murders,” Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said in a statement.
“Officers have worked with the pan-London LGBTQ+ Independent Advisory Group (IAG) since the identity of the two victims and their sexuality was established. Their advice, expertise and support for the investigation has been extremely valuable,” Valentine added, also offering his “thoughts” to Alfonso and Longworth’s “loved ones.”
“We will continue to work with them, and with other partners including local IAGs, as the investigation and the policing response continues,” his statement concluded.
