“It’s quite difficult to find any traces, given that these items were apparently exposed to some cleaning agents and solutions,” Central Scientific Crime Detection Division chief Pol Major-General Tawatchai Mekprasertsuk admitted yesterday. “Our heart is heavy, but we will do our best”. An ongoing investigation suggests that Artur Segarra Princep, also a Spaniard, killed David Bernat, then dismembered his body at the condo and took a large sum of his money.

Parts of the body washed up on the banks of the Chao Phraya River in different parts of Bangkok last month, but it was not until this month that the parts were linked to Bernat, who was reported missing.

While Segarra has emerged as the prime suspect, police have yet to find any incriminating evidence against him. The suspect, now in police detention, has to date denied any wrongdoing.

However, police are still hunting for a pale-green shoebox that contains four to five sharp knives that Segarra allegedly used to dismember the body.

“We will pay Bt5,000 for any useful tip-offs,” read an announcement from the Bang Chan Police Station.

Witnesses say Segarra allegedly dumped the box near a bridge across the Lod Canal between Ramkhamhaeng sois 156 and 158 on February 1.

Tawatchai said traces of blood were found on Segarra’s motorcycle, but they did not match Bernat’s DNA.

Separately, Institute of Forensic Medicine’s chief Pol Maj-General Dr Pornchai Suteerakune said his team was trying to determine if Bernat was poisoned.

“But we can’t give any specific timeframe given that the condition of the body has changed a great deal,” he said.

National Police chief General Chakthip Chaijinda, however, said he was confident that Segarra would be prosecuted for the alleged crime because Bernat was last seen with him.

“We also have recordings from a security camera at a construction-material shop, which can be used as evidence,” he said without elaborating.