Heart Break: Influencer Natalia Found Dead Inside Her Apartment

By Swift Reporter

Colombian model and social media influencer Natalia Villalba was found dead inside a suitcase in a luxury short-term rental apartment in Bogotá on June 22, prompting an international investigation that led to the arrest of a British national in Ecuador.

Villalba, 36, had been staying at an apartment complex in El Chicó, one of Bogotá’s affluent northern neighborhoods, since June 3. She was scheduled to check out on June 21, according to Colombian media reports. Her body was discovered the following day by a cleaner, who found the suitcase placed inside an open shower in the apartment.

Colombia’s Attorney General’s Office announced on June 26 that 46-year-old British citizen Matthew Ashley Foster-Smith had been arrested on suspicion of aggravated femicide and evidence tampering in connection with Villalba’s death.

According to investigators from Colombia’s Technical Investigation Corps (CTI), evidence indicates that Foster-Smith allegedly entered Villalba’s apartment while she was alone, physically assaulted her, and concealed her body inside a suitcase. Authorities further allege that he manipulated the crime scene in an attempt to cover up the killing before fleeing the country.

Bogotá Mayor Carlos F. Galán said the arrest was the result of a coordinated effort involving law enforcement agencies from Colombia, Ecuador, and the United Kingdom. Foster-Smith was apprehended at Quito International Airport in Ecuador on June 26.

“In Bogotá, he who commits the crime pays the price,” Galán said in a statement, praising the international cooperation that led to the suspect’s capture.

Prior to his arrest, Foster-Smith denied any involvement in Villalba’s death during an interview with British tabloid The Sun. He claimed he had been watching the England versus Croatia World Cup match on June 17 before spending time at a nearby shopping center.

“It wasn’t me; I was watching England,” he told the publication, adding that he bought an ice cream and returned later to watch additional football matches.

British media reports indicate that Foster-Smith has a previous criminal record. According to the BBC, he served more than two years in prison after being convicted of stalking offenses in 2023. Following his release, he was placed under a stalking prevention order requiring him to avoid contact with his victims, maintain regular communication with police, and report his addresses and vehicles.

The investigation into Villalba’s death remains ongoing as Colombian authorities continue to gather evidence and pursue legal proceedings against the suspect.

Under Colombian law, all suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.