In a case that has shocked the United Kingdom and reverberated through international headlines, Yostin Andres Mosquera, a 35-year-old Colombian national, was sentenced on October 24, 2025, to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 42 years for the brutal double murder of two men in London. The killings, which were described by authorities as among the most harrowing ever witnessed, involved a grisly sequence of violence, dismemberment, and subsequent attempts at financial fraud.
The victims, Albert Alfonso, aged 62, and Paul Longworth, 71, were found dead in their west London apartment in July 2024. According to AP and multiple corroborating sources, Mosquera had been staying with the couple when he committed the murders. The court heard that Mosquera bludgeoned Longworth with a hammer and stabbed Alfonso to death after an extreme sex session—an act that was not only premeditated, but also meticulously documented on video. Detective Chief Inspector Ollie Stride of the Metropolitan Police described the footage as deeply traumatizing for the investigative team, stating, “The team have consumed hundreds of hours of footage, including the murder of Albert Alfonso. Those images will stay with all of us for a very long time.”
After killing the two men, Mosquera decapitated and dismembered their bodies. Some remains were frozen, while others were packed into suitcases. He then transported these suitcases to Bristol, in southwest England, where he abandoned them on the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. The chilling discovery of body parts in the suitcases three days later led police to launch an intensive manhunt. Mosquera was ultimately arrested at a train station in Bristol, bringing to an end a brief but intense period of public fear and speculation.
During the investigation, authorities also uncovered Mosquera’s attempts to access the victims’ bank accounts using their computer. Judge Joel Bennathan, who presided over the case at Woolwich Crown Court in east London, remarked that he was “sure” Mosquera’s intention was to sell the couple’s flat, emphasizing that the attacks were “undoubtedly murders committed for gain.” The economic motives behind the crime were further highlighted during sentencing, with Judge Bennathan stating, “I accept there was an economic imbalance, which was the reason you committed these murders, but that does not amount to any sort of mitigation.”
The trial, which concluded with Mosquera’s conviction by a jury in July 2025, saw the defendant attempt to mount a defense of manslaughter regarding Alfonso’s death. Mosquera claimed he had lost control after Alfonso allegedly killed Longworth and threatened Mosquera’s family. However, the jury rejected this narrative, finding him guilty of both murders. On the day of sentencing, Mosquera also pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing indecent images of children, which added another layer of horror to an already disturbing case.
The judge described the murders as “premeditated and thoroughly wicked,” but stopped short of imposing a whole-life order—a sentence that would have meant Mosquera would never be eligible for parole. In his remarks, Judge Bennathan cited Mosquera’s lack of previous convictions in both Colombia and the UK, as well as the possibility that Mosquera “may have been brutalized” as a child after witnessing the murder of other children. Still, the minimum term of 42 years means Mosquera will not be eligible for release until he is well into his seventies, and even then, only if he meets stringent parole requirements. Accounting for time already served, he will spend at least four decades behind bars.
The court proceedings revealed unsettling details about the relationship between Mosquera and his victims. According to AP and India Today, Alfonso had met Mosquera online years earlier, and filming their sexual encounters had become a regular part of their relationship. The digital evidence collected by police was not only crucial for the prosecution but also left a lasting psychological impact on those who reviewed it. The Metropolitan Police described the case as “one of the most harrowing” in their experience, underscoring the emotional toll such investigations can exact on law enforcement officers.
As the news broke, the public reaction ranged from outrage to deep sadness, with many questioning how such violence could occur in a seemingly ordinary London neighborhood. The case has also reignited debates around the safety of online relationships and the vulnerabilities faced by older individuals, particularly within the LGBTQ+ community. While the judge acknowledged Mosquera’s difficult childhood as a potential mitigating factor, he made it clear that this did not excuse the “thoroughly wicked” nature of the crimes.
Police discovered more remains at the victims’ home in London after the arrest, piecing together a timeline of events that painted a picture of premeditation and calculated brutality. The fact that Mosquera attempted to profit financially from the murders only deepened the sense of betrayal felt by those who knew Alfonso and Longworth. Judge Bennathan’s remarks during sentencing reflected this, as he told Mosquera, “It was their tragedy that you, Yostin Mosquera, came into their lives and, on 11 July last year, killed them both.”
The case has also served as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by the criminal justice system in handling crimes that involve both extreme violence and digital evidence. The hundreds of hours of video footage reviewed by police provided irrefutable proof of Mosquera’s guilt but also exposed investigators to traumatic material that, as Detective Chief Inspector Stride noted, will “stay with all of us for a very long time.”
As Mosquera begins his life sentence, the families of Albert Alfonso and Paul Longworth are left to grapple with the loss of their loved ones and the disturbing details that emerged during the trial. The broader community, too, is left reflecting on issues of trust, vulnerability, and the dark possibilities that can lurk behind closed doors. For the police officers, prosecutors, and judges involved, this case will not soon be forgotten—a grim chapter in the annals of British criminal justice.
Mosquera’s conviction and sentencing bring a measure of closure to a case that has haunted all those involved. Yet, the scars—both emotional and psychological—will remain for years to come, a stark testament to the devastating consequences of violence and betrayal.
