Suspect named in manhunt as more human remains found in flat after two bodies discovered in suitcases in Bristol
13 July 2024, 00:08 | Updated: 13 July 2024, 07:01
Police have named a suspect they are looking for after human remains were found in suitcases in Bristol as 24-year-old Colombian national Yostin Andres Mosquera.
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The Metropolitan Police said officers found further human remains at a flat in Scotts Road, Shepherds Bush in west London after the search was extended.
The remains are in the process of being "sensitively removed", the force confirmed.
Additional post-mortem examinations are also being arranged as soon as possible, they added.
"At this early stage, officers believe that the remains are connected to the human remains found in Bristol, and that there are still two male victims."
Officers believe they know the identity of the two men, although formal identification is yet to take place, they said.
Both victims are thought to have been known to Mosquera and the Met is appealing for information on his whereabouts.
Enquiries continue to locate and inform their next of kin.
The remains were found inside the bags at Clifton Suspension Bridge on Wednesday night are thought to belong to two adult men.
The force have also confirmed a 36-year-old man has been arrested in Greenwich on Friday.
The Met have stated this is not the man they have been appealing.
He has since been released without charge, the force confirmed.
Avon and Somerset Police had earlier released a photograph of the suspect but had not identified him.
He was described as black with a beard, wearing a black Adidas baseball cap, black jeans, a black jacket and black trainers with thick white soles.
He also had a black backpack and was wearing a gold earring.
Read more: Manhunt after two suitcases filled with human remains found at Clifton Suspension Bridge
On Friday evening, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine said: “This is a fast moving enquiry with detectives in London and Bristol actively pursuing a number of lines of enquiry.
“Locating Yostin Andres Mosquera, however, is the priority and I appeal to anyone with information on his whereabouts to get in touch.
”The Met can confirm that a 36-year-old man arrested in connection with the investigation on 12 July at an address in Greenwich has since been released without charge.
Anyone with information that may assist police and, in particular, help us to locate the man shown in our appeal – now named as Yostin Andres Mosquera - is urged to call police."
The incident has closed the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Andy Valentine, who is leading the investigation for the Met, said: "Over the last 48 hours we have been working extremely closely with colleagues from Avon and Somerset.
This work leads us to believe the man we need to speak to travelled to Bristol from London earlier on Wednesday evening (10 July).
"Police said on Thursday the suspect had gone towards Leigh Woods after abandoning the suitcases.
Officers received reports just before midnight on Wednesday of a man acting suspiciously near the bridge.
Police arrived within 10 minutes but the man had vanished, leaving a suitcase behind.
A second suitcase was shortly found nearby.
Giles Malone told LBC how he and his wife were waiting for their taxi on Wednesday night when they saw two men carrying heavy suitcases.
Speaking the day after the interaction with the men, Mr Malone told LBC: "My wife and I were watching the football game with my dad in Clifton Village and we left my dad's flat at 10.30pm after the football game.
"We were waiting for an Uber on the corner by the pub and we were stood there waiting for our car.
"A man and another man got out of another car across the street and they were lifting these suitcases across the road for some reason, right by us."
He said another women, who appeared to be a passerby, joked with the two men about the contents of the bags.
Forensics on scene as suspected human remains are found at the Clifton Suspension Bridge
"Another lady started to help them and the lady who was helping them said 'these are the heaviest suitcases I've ever lifted. What's in them? bodies?'," Mr Malone explained.
"We sort of semi-joked about it but they didn't say anything."
"They didn't really say anything of any remembrance at all, they were just struggling with these cases," he said, reflecting on the previous night's interaction.
"I think this lady must have helped them because she made that comment."
He described the bags as "old, tatty suitcases - two big ones", and identified one of the men as "African-American" and the other as "white".
