Man charged with murder in Bristol after bodies found in suitcases

A suspect has been charged with murder after the bodies of two men, one from France, were found in suitcases on a bridge in Bristol, police said on Monday.

The police stated that the victims had previously been in a relationship but continued to live together in west London. The suspect had been staying with them.

Evidence so far does not indicate a homophobic motive, but the case has been classified as a hate crime.

The victims were named as Albert Alfonso, 62, a British citizen originally from France, and Paul Longworth, 71.

A manhunt began after the suitcases were found on Clifton Suspension Bridge in Bristol, southwest England, last week.

Additional human remains were later discovered at a flat in London.

Suspect Yostin Andres Mosquera, 34, is set to appear before magistrates in the capital later on Monday.

"I know that this awful incident will cause concern not just among residents but in the wider LGBTQ+ community across London," said Metropolitan Police deputy assistant commissioner Andy Valentine. He added that officers were not seeking anyone else in connection with the killings.

"My thoughts are first and foremost with Albert and Paul's loved ones who are coming to terms with this terrible news," he said.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge, designed by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is one of the oldest surviving suspension bridges in the world. Opened in 1864, it spans the Avon Gorge and is one of Bristol's top tourist attractions and a symbol of the city.

(AFP)