A British doctor has been arrested in Ecuador after Colombian authorities accused him of murdering a model whose body was discovered hidden inside a suitcase. Matthew Foster-Smith, 46, from Poole, Dorset, was detained at Quito International Airport on Wednesday following an arrest warrant and an Interpol Red Notice issued by Colombia.
Arrest and Allegations
Colombian prosecutors allege Foster-Smith entered the apartment where Natalia Villalba was staying, fatally assaulted her, concealed her body inside a suitcase, and then fled the country. In a statement, the Colombian Attorney General's Office said: 'Pursuant to an arrest warrant obtained by a prosecutor from the Bogota Sectional Office, and following the issue of an Interpol Red Notice, Ecuador's National Police apprehended a British citizen at Quito International Airport.'
Prosecutors added: 'Evidence obtained by the Technical Investigation Corps (CTI) indicates that he allegedly entered the apartment where the victim was alone, physically assaulted her until she died, and manipulated the body to place it inside a suitcase. He then carried out various actions aimed at concealing what had happened, altering the crime scene, and fleeing the location.'
Victim and Crime Scene
Natalia Villalba's body was reportedly discovered by a cleaner inside a suitcase beneath a running shower in the bathroom of a seventh-floor apartment in the Morph Chico building in Bogotá. Investigators say she initially checked into the apartment between June 3 and June 7 with a man from Texas before extending her stay until June 21. Her mother, Claudia, said she became concerned after Natalia stopped answering her calls last Thursday.
Extradition and Legal Process
Authorities said they will now seek to extradite Foster-Smith to Colombia, where he is expected to face charges of aggravated femicide and concealment, alteration or destruction of material evidence. The Colombian Attorney General's Office said it is taking the necessary legal steps to have Foster-Smith transferred to Colombia to stand trial.
Bogotá Mayor Carlos Fernando Galán confirmed the arrest on social media, praising the joint operation involving Colombian prosecutors, migration officials, Ecuadorian police, Interpol and Dorset Police. He wrote: 'The man believed to be responsible for the murder of Natalia Villalba has been captured in Ecuador. The task force succeeded this week in locating Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith, who is believed to be responsible for the murder of Natalia Villalba on June 18.'
Foster-Smith's Denials
Before his arrest, Foster-Smith denied any involvement in the killing after leaving Colombia for neighbouring Ecuador. Speaking to The Sun, he claimed: 'It wasn't me. I was watching England.' He later said he had been watching England's match against Croatia on a large screen in an Irish bar before spending time in a shopping centre and returning to his accommodation alone. 'I didn't leave with anyone and went to bed myself at about 11pm local time,' he said. Foster-Smith also claimed he had decided to leave Colombia after receiving death threats from local gangsters and was planning to return to the UK.
International Cooperation
According to Colombian officials, he crossed into Ecuador via the Rumichaca International Bridge before being tracked to Quito International Airport. A Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office spokesperson said: 'We are supporting a British man who has been detained in Ecuador and are in touch with the local authorities.'
