Anish Vij
Warning: This article contains discussions of graphic violence which some readers may find distressing
It has emerged that members of the public were left 'traumatised' after accidentally offering to help Bristol suitcase killer Yostin Andres Mosquera carry the bodies, according to police.
On Monday (21 July), Colombian national Mosquera was found guilty of murdering civil partners Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, in their flat in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, on 8 July, 2024.
After meeting in person in 2023 following years of speaking via Skype, Mosquera killed both men and dismembered their bodies into two suitcases, before taking them to the Clifton Suspension Bridge more than 116 miles away.
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He hired a van driver to take him to Bristol and planned to throw them off the bridge in two heavy suitcases, prior to a host of chilling internet searches.
Avon and Somerset Police were called to the Bristol landmark two days later on 10 July, after bridge staff became suspicious of his behaviour.
At the time, they had been dealing with a woman in crisis when they saw Mosquera with two heavy suitcases on the side of the bridge. He told them the red and silver cases contained car parts and that the liquid dripping from them was oil.
It later transpired that this liquid was blood.
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Mosquera was then challenged by a brave cyclist who chased the double killer down as he fled down a hill whilst the bike rider filmed him on his phone.
A 999 call heard the caller say 'we’re convinced it’s blood', before officers attended the bridge and had to open the suitcases.
Metropolitan Police detective chief inspector Ollie Stride has now said some football fans in a nearby pub came outside and noticed Mosquera struggling with his heavy suitcases, and offered to drive him across the bridge to help.
"He told them he wanted to go to the other side of the bridge, which was only 150 yards from where he stood, but he couldn't see it," added detective inspector Neil Meade, from Avon and Somerset Police.
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"They tried loading the suitcases into the back of their car and one of them commented: 'God, these are heavy, is there a body in there?'"
DCI Stride said they 'simply couldn't lift them into the cars so they helped him order the taxi, that took him over using Google Translate because they couldn't communicate with him, [as] he spoke in Spanish'.
He added: "They've been really traumatised by the whole thing, obviously now understanding what had happened afterwards."
Mosquera pleaded not guilty to murdering both men and insisted Mr Alfonso killed Mr Longworth, also alleging that he was 'raped every day' by Mr Alfonso.
It took a jury five hours and three minutes to unanimously find Mosquera guilty of double murder.
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Judge Justice Bennathan KC said Mosquera's sentencing will take place on 24 October.