Body found and man arrested in hunt for missing pilgrim

A BODY has been found and a 39-year-old man arrested for his alleged involvement in the suspected death of American pilgrim Denise Pikka Thiem, who went missing while walking the Camino de Santiago alone on April 5.

The suspect, named as Miguel Angel MB, was arrested in Asturias on Friday (September 11) and led officers to his country property between Santa Catalina de Somoza and San Martin de Agostedo in Leon, where a body, believed to belong to the missing woman, was found.

Spain’s Interior Minister Jorge Fernandez Diaz has travelled to Astorga to oversee investigations and said that although DNI comparisons and a post mortem examination are needed to confirm the identity of the body, it is strongly suspected to be that of Denise and investigations are under way to determine the events leading to her death.

Although he refused to give details on the motive and causes of death, the minister mentioned that the suspect, who had a previous police record and no known steady income, had been under surveillance for some time.