Man Accused Of Killing Gay Roommates, Dumping Remains In Suitcases On Bridge

A man was charged with murder Monday in the killings of a former couple whose remains were discovered last week in two suitcases on a bridge in southwest England and at the London apartment they shared, British authorities said.

Yostin Andres Mosquera was charged with killing Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71. His arrest followed a manhunt and appeal by authorities for assistance in locating Mosquera, and police circulated two photographs of him.

Alfonso and Longworth had broken up but still lived together in their west London apartment, the London Metropolitan Police said in a statement released Monday. Mosquera had been staying with the men for “a short period of time” before the killings, police said.

Police said they have not yet determined a motive for the crime, and have found no evidence so far to suggest that Alfonso and Longworth were killed because they were gay. However, authorities have initially classified the killings as a hate crime under U.K. guidelines.

Police also do not believe anyone else besides Mosquera was involved but emphasized that the investigation is ongoing.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said he recognized that the “awful” killings would “cause concern” for members of the local LGBTQ+ community and that the police were consulting with the city’s LGBTQ+ Independent Advisory Group.

“Their advice, expertise and support for the investigation has been extremely valuable,” Valentine said.

The hate crime classification “will assist in shaping elements of the investigation” and “will be reviewed as any clearer evidence of a specific motive becomes available,” the police said.

Alfonso and Longworth’s remains were found last Wednesday in two suitcases on a famous suspension bridge in Bristol, located about 115 miles west of the London neighborhood of Shepherd’s Bush where they lived. Police said officers found additional remains of the men at their property.

Avon Somerset police said in a statement that officers arrived at the bridge 10 minutes after receiving a call just before midnight that a man with a suitcase, whom they later identified as Mosquera, was “acting suspiciously.” By the time authorities arrived, he was already gone, leaving the suitcase behind. A second suitcase was located nearby a short time later, police said.

Mosquera had taken a taxi to the bridge, authorities said, but it is unclear how he left or where he went before he was arrested early Saturday morning at a Bristol train station.

One witness who saw the suitcases described them as “tatty,” “beaten up,” and “bursting at the seams,” the Independent reported. Another witness told the Independent that one suitcase was “leaking blood.”

A neighbor who said Alfonso and Longworth lived at their residence for decades told the Independent that they were a “very nice couple” who were always polite. Another neighbor told the outlet they were “just lovely guys.”

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police directed HuffPost to the force’s online statement for the latest information about the case. HuffPost also reached out to the LGBTQ+ organization Galop, whom authorities have recommended that people contact for information regarding the investigation.

Authorities have not as yet found evidence that Mosquera, a 24-year-old Colombian national, had previously committed crimes in the U.K. or overseas.

“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,” Metropolitan Police said Monday.

A judge ordered Mosquera to be held without bail in a short hearing Monday, The Guardian reported. He is due to appear in criminal court on Wednesday.