Key facts
- Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith, 46, from Bournemouth, was arrested in Ecuador.
- He is suspected of murdering Natalia Villalba, 36, in Bogotá, Colombia.
- Villalba's body was found inside a suitcase.
- An arrest warrant and Interpol Red Notice were issued for Foster-Smith.
- Dorset Police assisted in the operation to locate him.
- The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is providing support.
A British man, Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith, 46, from Bournemouth, has been arrested in Ecuador after the body of a woman was discovered inside a suitcase in Colombia. Authorities in Colombia suspect Foster-Smith of beating 36-year-old Natalia Villalba to death in an apartment in Bogotá on June 18. He is alleged to have placed her body in a suitcase, attempted to conceal the crime, and fled the scene.
An arrest warrant was obtained by Colombian prosecutors, and an Interpol Red Notice was subsequently issued for Foster-Smith. He was apprehended at Quito International Airport in Ecuador. Bogotá's mayor, Carlos Fernando Galan, stated that Dorset Police had provided assistance in locating the suspect. A spokesperson for the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office confirmed they are supporting the detained British national and are in contact with local authorities.