A Spanish national suspected in the gruesome killing and dismemberment of a compatriot in Thailand was arrested in Sihanoukville on Sunday evening, according to police officials.
Preah Sihanouk provincial police chief Chuon Narin said Artur Segarra Princep, 36, was arrested at about 7 p.m. in Pi commune, adding that police believed the suspect had arrived in the city a few days earlier
“We received an order from the [Interior Ministry’s] general immigration department and General Sok Phal to arrest a suspect who was involved in a murder in Thailand,” Major General Narin said.
“He entered Preah Sihanouk province about two to three days ago,” the police chief added, before referring further questions to Gen. Phal, the head of the immigration department.
Phol Phorsda, Sihanoukville police chief, added that Mr. Segarra had been arrested at a restaurant in Pi commune, but declined to provide further details, also referring questions to the immigration department.
Both Gen. Phal and department spokesman Kem Sarin declined to comment on the case.
According to The Bangkok Post, Mr. Segarra was wanted by Thai police for the murder of David Bernat, 40, pieces of whose dismembered body were found in Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River over the course of several days last week.
Thai police conjectured that David Bernat was kidnapped and tortured, before being forced to transfer a large sum of cash out of his bank account and killed, The Post reported.
The report said Thai immigration officials requested assistance from their Cambodian counterparts after Mr. Segarra’s motorbike was found near the Cambodian border in Thailand’s Surin province.
Deputy provincial police chief Hun Sorithy said Mr. Segarra would be extradited to Thailand.
“We are preparing to send him back to Thailand through Koh Kong International Checkpoint,” Mr. Sorithy said on Monday morning.
The Associated Press reported on Monday evening that Mr. Segarra was in Thai custody.
