The murder suspect accused of dismembering two men and putting their remains into suitcases lived with his alleged victims and had joined them on holiday in his native Colombia.
Photographs posted on social media show Yostin Andres Mosquera enjoying a boat ride with his alleged victims, who had been partners, in March.
The partial remains of Paul Longworth, 71, and 62-year-old Albert Alfonso were discovered after a man was seen “acting suspiciously” while carrying a suitcase on Clifton Suspension Bridge, in Bristol just before midnight on July 10.
Mosquera, 34, appeared in court on Monday charged with two counts of murder, having been detained by police at Bristol’s Temple Meads railway station on Saturday. Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court heard that the deaths of the two men had occurred up to two days before their remains were found.
Wearing grey custody-issued clothing, the Colombian national spoke to confirm his name and date of birth through a Spanish interpreter. The court was told he is accused of murdering both Mr Alfonso and Mr Longworth between July 8 and July 10.
Asked for his current address, the translator told the court that Mosquera said: “I do have an address, however I don’t know the exact details.”
He had been living with Mr Longworth and Mr Alfonso in a flat in Scotts Road in Shepherds Bush, west London, for a short time before the alleged murders.
Pictures posted on Mr Alfonso’s social media account show the three on holiday in Colombia on March 5, on a boat off the coast close to the city of Cartagena. Another photo, taken two days earlier, shows them sitting on a city beach.
Mosquera was also photographed by Mr Alfonso eating fish and chips in London in October last year, suggesting he had been in the UK for at least nine months.
Mr Alfonso, who had worked as a high-end concierge, had been in a relationship with Mr Longworth until recently. They had continued living at the Shepherd’s Bush flat, which Mr Alfonso had bought for £455,000 in 2020, although neighbours said they had lived on the street for 15 years.
On his Flickr photographic account, Mr Alfonso, who was a keen traveller, said he had posted thousands of photos “to leave a digital print of my brief appearance on Earth”. Some of his pictures were of the Clifton Suspension Bridge.
He had worked for the Saudi royal family in the 1990s, and until his retirement had been the estate manager at luxury flats in Kensington, then run by Harrods Estates, and then by Rendall & Rittner, until retiring in 2019. Mr Longworth is thought to have worked at the same property business.
A spokesman for Rendall & Rittner, which bought the development in 2017, said: “We are shocked and saddened to learn of the deaths of Albert Alfonso and Paul Longworth, who were both valued former members of our team. Our thoughts are with their families and friends at this very difficult and distressing time.”
In a statement, Scotland Yard said: “Albert and Paul had previously been in a relationship and still lived together at the flat in Scotts Road, W12. Both victims were known to the man arrested, and he had been staying with them at the Scotts Road flat for a short period of time.
“We are making thorough enquiries to establish whether there may be any linked offences in the UK or overseas, but so far none have been identified. Detectives will continue to build a full picture of the circ*mstances, including any previous incident that may be linked in any way to this case.”
The Metropolitan Police said it had initially categorised the murders as a hate crime, but that evidence so far did not suggest there was a hom*ophobic motive.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said: “I know that this awful incident will cause concern not just among residents in Shepherds Bush but in the wider LGBTQ+ community across London.
“I hope it will be of some reassurance that, whilst enquiries 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.”
At 11.57pm on Wednesday, officers had been called to reportsof a man seen “acting suspiciously with a suitcase” on the Clifton Suspension Bridge, Avon and Somerset Police said.
A spokesman said officers arrived at the bridge within 10 minutes, but the man had already fled the area, “leaving the suitcase behind”. A second suitcase was located nearby a short time later. The property in Scotts Road was raided by police on Friday. Detectives later confirmedthat more human remains were found.
Neighbours on the road spoke of their shock at the discovery. John, 77, who has lived there since 1984, said the victims had lived together on the road for about 15 years, and that Mr Longworth was a regular at the local pub.
Elizabeth Polmear, 48, said: “Paul had his little routine. He’d get up at 5am for work and then go to the pub on the corner for about an hour a day at 12.30pm. He was always happy and jokey. He was very friendly.
“It’s very very difficult to get my head around. It’s absolutely awful. You want to feel safe in your street, and that’s put the wind up me. It takes a lot to frighten me, but that really did.”
