A British doctor, Matthew Foster-Smith, 46, has been arrested in Ecuador in connection with the murder of Natalia Villalba Angarita, a 36-year-old model whose body was discovered in a suitcase in a Bogotá apartment on June 22. Foster-Smith, from Poole, Dorset, was apprehended at Quito International Airport after fleeing Colombia.
Cleaning staff found Villalba Angarita's remains concealed within a grey suitcase in the apartment's bathroom, where the shower was still running. Police believe the killing occurred on June 18, between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Foster-Smith, who has a prior conviction for stalking, had fled to the Ecuadorian capital.
Foster-Smith had previously asserted his innocence, claiming he was watching England play Croatia in the World Cup at the time of the murder. He stated he was at an Irish bar and later returned to his apartment. However, authorities believe CCTV footage shows him arriving at the apartment on June 17 and leaving on June 18, with footage reportedly showing him taking bedsheets to a laundry room.
Colombian authorities, with assistance from Dorset Police and Interpol, located Foster-Smith, who was reportedly attempting to purchase a ticket to Europe. He was taken into custody after an arrest warrant was issued and an international red notice was activated.
Aggravated femicide, the charge Foster-Smith is likely to face in Colombia, carries a potential prison sentence of 40 to 50 years. Mayor of Bogotá, Carlos Fernando Galan, confirmed the arrest and emphasized inter-agency cooperation in combating crime. "In Bogotá, if you commit the crime, you pay the price," Galan stated.
Foster-Smith was released on license from a UK prison in January after serving time for his second stalking offense. An Interpol source indicated that UK authorities had not issued an arrest warrant for him at the time of his departure, which meant there were no restrictions preventing him from traveling to Colombia.
His prior convictions include a 2020 sentencing for stalking an ex-partner, which involved attending the same gym and creating social media accounts to post explicit images of the victim. He was sentenced to 18 months in prison for that offense. Detective Constable Thomas Norman of Bournemouth CID noted the significant impact of Foster-Smith's behavior on his victim, stating she "continues to live in fear and has described these events as destroying her life."
Villalba Angarita had been living in Bogotá for 17 years and was paying weekly for the apartment where her body was found. Her mother stated that her daughter had been unreachable since June 18, and her phone is missing, although her computer was found in her room. Investigations into her professional activities are ongoing. The shower being left on in the bathroom is believed to have been an attempt to hinder the work of pathologists by affecting skin and concealing bruising.