Matthew Foster-Smith, a 46-year-old man from Poole, Dorset, has been arrested in Ecuador in connection with the death of Natalia Villalba, a 36-year-old Colombian model and graphic designer. Authorities found Villalba’s body on June 18 inside a suitcase in an apartment in the upscale Chico neighbourhood of Bogotá. A cleaner discovered the suitcase hidden under a running shower in the bathroom of the seventh-floor flat.
Foster-Smith was apprehended at Quito International Airport while apparently trying to board a flight back to Europe, concluding a five-day manhunt. The day before his arrest, he contacted a British newspaper claiming an alibi, stating he had been watching an England World Cup match on June 17 and later visiting a shopping centre. However, Villalba was last in contact with friends and family the following day, June 18, when she postponed a planned meeting. Her mother, Claudia Villalba, said she sent messages that went undelivered after the afternoon of June 18.
Following his arrest, Foster-Smith was transferred to Colombia for further questioning. Public records indicate he has used the title “Dr” in official documents, though he is not registered with the General Medical Council. Foster-Smith has a criminal history marked by stalking offences. In October 2020, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stalking his then-partner and threatening her with an axe. The court was told he repeatedly breached a non-molestation order, harassed her at her gym, posted revenge porn on social media, and made efforts to be seen by the victim. A judge described his behaviour as having made her life “a misery.”
After his release, Foster-Smith reportedly began stalking another woman, engaging in persistent harassing behaviour that included loitering near her workplace and orchestrating chance encounters. In October 2025, he received a two-year and two-month prison sentence for these offences, though details about his release date remain unclear. Dorset police indicated that in January 2026, three months into this sentence, arrangements were made for Foster-Smith to be monitored by a team within the High Harm Unit, created in 2023 to manage offenders deemed particularly dangerous to women.
Bogotá’s mayor, Carlos Fernando Galán, confirmed that Dorset police assisted Colombian authorities in the investigation. Galán stated that under Colombian law, individuals convicted of aggravated femicide can face sentences up to 50 years in prison. He described Villalba as a bright and outgoing young woman, and called for support in seeking justice for her death.
Claudia Villalba characterized her daughter as special and devoted to her family, urging for transparency and accountability in the investigation. No further statement has been released by Dorset police at this time.