A man “decapitated and dismembered” a couple, froze parts of their remains and stuffed the rest in suitcases he dumped on the Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, a court has heard.
Yostin Andres Mosquera, 24, then allegedly stole from the pair and “danced” in the aftermath of the attack. The Colombian national is facing trial for the murders of Albert Alfonso, 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, on July 8 last year in the flat the two shared in Scotts Road, Shepherd’s Bush, west London. In footage of the killing, Mr Alfonso was stabbed to death whilst Mosquera, 35, was seen singing and dancing in the aftermath, the Old Bailey heard.
The defendant admitted the manslaughter of Mr Alfonso on Tuesday, but denies both charges of murder. Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told jurors on Wednesday that Mosquera “could hardly deny” killing Mr Alfonso, telling them the attack took place while the defendant and Mr Alfonso were having sex – with both the sex and the killing recorded on film.
But the court heard Mosquera blamed Mr Alfonso for the death of Mr Longworth. Mr Alfonso, who worked as a swimming instructor, and retired handyman Mr Longworth were described by neighbours as a “friendly couple who seemed happy together and who were genuinely fond of one another”. They entered into a civil partnership in February 2023.
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Mosquera, described as a “pornographic performer”, would engage in sexual acts with Mr Alfonso, the court heard. Mr Alfonso liked “extreme sex” which Mr Longworth knew about and accepted it – but had “nothing to do with”.
It was said Mosquera visited the UK more than once and spent time with Mr Alfonso and Mr Longworth, engaging in sex acts with the former in exchange for payment, and that the couple also visited the defendant in his home country of Colombia.
Analysis of the Mosquera’s computer allegedly revealed that between June and July 8, he searched for the value of the couple’s west London home, browsed Facebook marketplace for a chest freezer, copied spreadsheets containing Mr Alfonso’s log in details for his online bank accounts onto his laptop and searched for “serial killers of London” and “Jack the Ripper film”.
On July 8, Mosquera allegedly killed Mr Longworth and later Mr Alfonso in their flat and then “set about trying to steal from them”.
“Paul Longworth had been attacked with a hammer to the back of his head, suffering repeated blows, which shattered his skull,” said Ms Heer. “Albert Alfonso had been repeatedly stabbed, suffering multiple wounds to his torso, his body, and his face and to his neck. None of that is in dispute.”
Footage of Mr Alfonso’s killing was shown to the jury, with Mr Justice Bennathan warning them: “It is not an easy watch.”
“It is obviously a violent assault but what is striking when one looks at the footage is just how calm and just how in control Mr Mosquera remains throughout,” Ms Heer said.
Mr Alfonso was stabbed to death while being filmed, with footage showing Mosquera, 35, singing and dancing in the aftermath of the attack, the Old Bailey heard.
Prosecutor Deanna Heer KC told jurors: “Indeed, so unconcerned does he appear by what he has just done that, as Mr Alfonso lies on the floor dying, the defendant starts singing and breaks into a dance and then makes his way directly to the desktop computer in Mr Alfonso’s room and starts using it… to look at information about Mr Alfonso’s finances.”
At around 11.30pm on July 10, a cyclist making his way across the Clifton Suspension Bridge spotted Mosquera standing next to a large red suitcase and stopped to see if he was OK, thinking he was a tourist, jurors heard.
The witness also spied a large silver trunk a few metres away from the defendant before Mosquera told him the luggage contained car parts, jurors were told. “That was a lie,” prosecutor Deanna Heer KC said.
The suitcases were found to have contained the decapitated and dismembered bodies of Paul Longworth and Albert Alfonso, which Mosquera took to Bristol from their home in London where they had been killed two days before, the court heard.
Police found their decapitated heads at their flat in a chest freezer. “The prosecution case is that the defendant murdered both men, that he intended to kill them, that his actions were planned and premeditated and that, having killed them, he immediately set about trying to steal from them,” Ms Heer said.
The trial continues.
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