Spaniard accused in murder sends out grim signal
The Spaniard accused in the gruesome murder of a compatriot arrived at a Bangkok court for the verdict on Friday smiling and showing reporters a Bible citation written in ink on his left palm.
Artur Segarra Princep had “Luke 23:34” inscribed on his hand, referring to the crucified Jesus’ appeal to God, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Segarra, 38, was brought to Ratchadapisek Criminal Court to hear the verdict on 13 charges stemming from the murder of countryman David Bernat in January last year.
Prosecutors say Segarra detained and tortured Bernat at his apartment in Bangkok’s Huai Kwang district for 10 days, from January 20 and 30. He allegedly forced Bernat to reveal his ATM pin and stole more than Bt700,000 from his bank account. He allegedly force-fed Bernat a cocktail of drugs and then killed him by suffocation, using duct tape and a plastic bag over the head, froze the body and finally dismembered the corpse and disposed of the parts at several places along the Chao Phraya River.
Following the discovery of the body parts, Segarra was arrested in Cambodia on February 7 last year and returned to Thailand the next day.
Detained at Bangkok Remand Prison, he pleaded not guilty to 13 charges including premeditated murder, kidnapping, concealing a body, torture and theft.
