A British doctor wanted for the murder of a Colombian model found stuffed inside a suitcase has been arrested in Ecuador. Matthew Foster-Smith, 46, from Poole, Dorset, was captured at Quito International Airport on June 26, 2026, after being named as a suspect in the violent death of Natalia Villalba.
Arrest and Extradition Proceedings
Foster-Smith was apprehended following an Interpol Red Notice and an arrest warrant from the Bogota Sectional Office. Colombian prosecutors confirmed his detention, stating that evidence obtained by the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) indicates he allegedly entered the apartment where the victim was alone, physically assaulted her until she died, and placed her body inside a suitcase. He then attempted to conceal the crime and fled the scene. The Attorney General's Office of Colombia will pursue his extradition to face charges of aggravated femicide and concealment, alteration, or destruction of material evidence.
The Crime Scene
Natalia Villalba's body was discovered by a cleaner in a suitcase under a running shower in the bathroom of a seventh-floor apartment at the Morph Chico building in Bogota. Her mother, Claudia, revealed that her daughter had stopped taking her calls on June 20, days before the discovery. Investigators found that Natalia initially checked into the apartment between June 3 and 7 with a man from Texas, then extended her stay until June 21.
Foster-Smith's Claims of Innocence
Hours before his arrest, Foster-Smith protested his innocence, telling the Sun: “It wasn’t me. I was watching England.” He claimed to have a lock-tight alibi, stating: “I was watching England versus Croatia on a big screen in an Irish bar so it wasn’t me. After the match I went into the shopping centre, I mooched about, bought an ice cream, and came back later for the later games.” He added that he left Colombia and was planning to return to the UK after receiving death threats from local gangsters.
International Cooperation
Bogota mayor Carlos Fernando Galan confirmed that Dorset Police assisted in the arrest. He posted on social media: “A task force made up of @fiscaliacol and the Bogotá Sectional CTI, @MigracionCol Regional Andina, @seguridadbog, @seguridadequito, Interpol of @PoliciaEcuador, Ecuador's Migration Service, and @dorsetpolice succeeded this week in locating Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith, who is believed to be responsible for the murder of Natalia Villalba on June 18.”
Escape and Capture
Foster-Smith left Colombia on June 22 via the Rumichaca International Bridge, a border crossing between Colombia and Ecuador. A well-placed source told Colombian press: “He was trying to buy a ticket to Europe and was apparently located via the telephone calls he made from there.” His arrest at Quito airport marks a significant breakthrough in the case, which has drawn international attention.
