Celebrity plastic surgeon Dr Alexander Aslani was gunned down inside his clinic in Marbella, Spain on October 7. Spanish police have arrested an 18-year-old man in connection with the fatal shooting.
Police have not announced any charges or publicly identified the suspect. UK broadcaster LBC reported that he had treated The Only Way Is Essex star Chloe Sims, Big Brother UK alum Aisleyne Horgan-Wallace and Love Island UK contestant Hannah Elizabeth. Investigators are still trying to establish a motive. Among the leading theories are a dispute involving a dissatisfied patient and the possibility of a contract killing. He built an international reputation over more than three decades in aesthetic surgery, specializing in advanced facial procedures and body contouring. The clinic describes the operation as one of its most requested treatments. His work attracted patients from across Europe and beyond. His celebrity clientele reportedly included British television personalities. Following news of his death, Horgan-Wallace shared a photograph with Aslani on Instagram. Police say a masked gunman entered the clinic and allegedly shot Aslani multiple times in the head at close range before fleeing. His wife, who also worked at the clinic, reportedly raised the alarm and called for help. Emergency responders found Aslani still alive and attempted life-saving treatment. However, he later died from his injuries. His body was transferred to the Institute of Legal Medicine in Málaga for an autopsy. One major line of inquiry centers on a dissatisfied patient.
Dr Alexander Aslani, 57, was one of Spain’s best-known cosmetic surgeons and the founder of Cirumed Clinic Marbella. Aslani performed more than 7,000 Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) procedures during 16 years of specialized practice, according to Cirumed’s website. He also built a significant online following, with more than 200,000 Instagram followers, according to El País . Spanish media reported that Aslani was recognized as Spain’s best plastic surgeon in 2016. The shooting happened at around 6 pm local time on Wednesday inside Cirumed Clinic Marbella, according to Spanish media.
In her caption she wrote, “dr._aslani My friend,” and added a broken heart and love heart emoji. Detectives are examining whether another individual helped plan the attack and assisted the alleged gunman, according to El Mundo .
Authorities believe the suspect is an 18-year-old Swedish national. He was arrested on Thursday, a day after the killing, according to Spanish media reports cited by People .
The client also made explicit threats.
Police sources told the Spanish media that investigators are reviewing reports of previous complaints involving cosmetic procedures. Investigators are questioning the arrested suspect to determine whether the killing was connected to that dispute or whether it was a premeditated contract attack, according to Sur and El País.
Hours before the shooting, a client allegedly sent messages expressing dissatisfaction with a cosmetic treatment and demanded an immediate refund.
