A man has been remanded in custody after appearing in court charged with two counts of murder following the discovery of human remains in suitcases near Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol.
Yostin Andres Mosquera, 34, from Shepherd's Bush, west London, was charged on Monday with murdering Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, between 8 and 10 July in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
At a short hearing at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court, Mosquera, assisted by a Spanish interpreter, spoke only to confirm his name, address and date of birth. He was remanded in custody and is due to appear at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.
The remains of the two men were found in suitcases dumped near the bridge on Wednesday, while further remains were discovered at an address in Scotts Road, Shepherd's Bush, on Friday. The Metropolitan Police said the victims lived together at a flat in Shepherd's Bush and were known to the suspect, who had been staying with them for a short period.
Detectives have said the evidence so far does not point to a homophobic motive, but the case has been classified as a hate crime under national guidelines. Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said: 'My thoughts are first and foremost with Albert and Paul's loved ones who are coming to terms with this terrible news.'
Mosquera was arrested in the Bristol area in the early hours of Saturday following a joint operation by the Met and Avon and Somerset Police. Officers had been called just before midnight on Wednesday after a man was seen acting suspiciously on Clifton Suspension Bridge; they found two suitcases containing human remains.
