A man has been charged with two counts of murder over the deaths of two men whose remains were found in suitcases in Bristol last week, the Metropolitan police said.
Yostin Andres Mosquera, 34, was charged on Monday morning, the Met said.
The men, whose remains were discovered in suitcases on Clifton Suspension Bridge, have been named by the Met as 62-year-old Albert Alfonso and Paul Longworth, 71, who had previously been in a relationship.
The pair lived together at a flat in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, and were known to the suspect, the Met said.
Mosquera, 34, was arrested in Bristol in the early hours of Saturday morning and has been charged with two counts of murder. He will appear in custody later on Monday at Wimbledon magistrates court.
Longworth was British, while Alfonso was originally from France but had obtained British citizenship, the force added.
The Met said Mosquera had been staying with the victims at a flat in Scotts Road for a “short period of time”.
Evidence in the investigation so far has not pointed to a homophobic motive, Scotland Yard added, but it has been classified as a hate crime under national guidelines.
Deputy assistant commissioner Andy Valentine said: “My thoughts are first and foremost with Albert and Paul’s loved ones who are coming to terms with this terrible news.
“While we do not believe either of them had any close family, we have identified other next of kin who have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers. We are continuing to try and identify any extended family members.
“I know that this awful incident will cause concern not just among residents in Shepherd’s Bush but in the wider LGBTQ+ community across London.
“I hope it will be of some reassurance that whilst inquiries 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.”
Avon and Somerset police were called at 11.57pm last Wednesday after a man was reported to have been seen acting suspiciously on Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Officers arrived less than 10 minutes later and the man had left the scene, leaving behind one suitcase. A second suitcase was found nearby a short time later. Both were found to contain human remains.
Inquiries carried out by officers from Avon and Somerset police and the Met suggested a suspect had travelled to Bristol from London earlier the same day. As a result, the Met took over the investigation.
On Friday, police found further human remains in a flat in Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush, west London, with the two incidents believed to be connected.
Source: theguardian.com
