Yostin Mosquera, convicted of dismembering two women adn depositing their remains in Bristol, is awaiting sentencing after also admitting to possessing indecent images. The 30-year-old pleaded guilty to multiple offenses,including preventing lawful burial and possessing prohibited images,at the Old Bailey earlier this week.
The case, which has baffled investigators, centers around the deaths of Melissa Blenkiron and Gabriela Artiaga, whose remains were discovered in suitcases near the Avon River in February 2023. While Mosquera has admitted to the horrific acts, detectives remain perplexed by his motives and actions, particularly his decision to transport the dismembered bodies to Bristol and risk capture.
Detectives leading the investigation acknowledge lingering questions surrounding the case. Metropolitan Police Det Ch Insp Ollie Stride stated thay have been unable to determine why Mosquera brought the remains to bristol. “It’s one of the things I’ve never been able to get to the bottom of,” he said.
Avon and Somerset Police Det Insp Neil Meade believes Mosquera could have evaded capture altogether.”He could have committed almost the perfect murder,” Meade explained, noting Mosquera could have fled to Colombia and perhaps avoided extradition for years. ”He didn’t need to dismember them, he didn’t need to take them to Bristol.”
Mosquera’s sentencing will offer a degree of closure to the families of Blenkiron and Artiaga, but the perplexing nature of the crime continues to generate scrutiny. He previously admitted to manslaughter, and the additional charge of possessing indecent images adds another layer to the complex case.The sentencing date has not yet been announced.
