A man has been found guilty of murdering a couple before dumping their remains in suitcases near Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.
Yostin Andres Mosquera, 35, was found guilty at Woolwich Crown Court of murdering civil partners Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, in July last year in their flat in Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush, west London. He then dumped their remains in suitcases near Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol.
Mosquera, who was staying with the couple, “decapitated and dismembered” them, froze parts of their remains and put the rest in luggage, according to the prosecution.
He is alleged to have repeatedly stabbed Alfonso, who suffered injuries to his torso, face and neck. Longworth was attacked with a hammer to the back of his head and his skull was shattered, jurors heard.
Alfonso enjoyed “extreme sex”, and Mosquera, whom he met online years earlier, was part of that world, jurors heard.
The 62-year-old was stabbed to death during a filmed session. The court was shown footage of Mosquera singing and dancing in the aftermath of the attack.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said that Mosquera planned to hurl the suitcases over the bridge to dispose of the remains after the “calculated” and “premeditated” killings.
Mosquera admitted to killing Alfonso but claimed it was manslaughter by reason of loss of control. He pleaded not guilty to murdering the men and instead insisted Alfonso killed Longworth.
He alleged that he feared for his own life and believed he was going to be killed when he stabbed Alfonso. He claimed he thought that Alfonso would do to him what he claims he had already done to Longworth, adding he felt “intimidated” and threats had been made to his family in Colombia.
His defence counsel suggested his actions after stabbing Alfonso, including singing and dancing, could be an outburst as he was overwhelmed by what had happened.
The jury deliberated for five hours and three minutes before they unanimously found Mosquera guilty.
The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan KC, said he would sentence Mosquera on 24 October after ordering a psychiatric report.
“I am not going to pass sentence on you today, although the only one I can pass on you is one of life imprisonment,” he said.
“I am going to order a psychiatric report on you. It is in your interests to cooperate with the psychiatrist so that I can decide the minimum term you are going to serve.”
The judge then acknowledged the difficult nature of this case for jurors, thanking them personally: “We put serious demands on jurors, in this case more than most.
“It went on much longer than the two weeks you were expecting. In this case, you have had to look at a very tough video.
“They were terrible, brutal events, and to read about it is a dreadful thing – but to see it is really shocking. If you do want to seek help, then speak to the court staff – above all, thank you.”
Detective chief inspector Ollie Stride of the Metropolitan Police described it as “one of the most harrowing murder investigations” he had ever dealt with.
The senior investigating officer in the case told PA: “I think certainly this is probably one of the most traumatic, harrowing murder investigations I’ve dealt with by virtue of that video, and the fact that it took place during their sexual activity in their own home.”
