Juanjo Salvador Viciana, born in Granada in 1960, lived as a neighbor in Olesa de Montserrat, Baix Llobregat, and was arrested in March 2022 in connection with the killing of his sister Julia, a crime believed to have occurred a decade earlier in November 2012. Skeletal remains were found in Julia’s home, wrapped in plastic and tucked among a mountain of clothing and personal belongings.
Barcelona Command judicial police investigators suspect that Juanjo may have killed Julia with a blunt object, based on an autopsy that showed a skull fracture. After the act, the body was concealed for many years. The Civil Guard uncovered Julia’s remains after a friend of Juanjo betrayed him amid tensions that emerged when Julia allegedly threatened to commit the same crime she allegedly faced at her brother’s hands and bury him in his own house.
Police reports indicate that Juanjo did not seem surprised when officers located the body. He did not ask if the person found was Julia, whom he had not seen for ten years, nor did he report her as missing during that long interval.
Over the past decade, neighbors reported questions about Julia’s whereabouts and had noticed her absence. They described Juanjo living at the residence in Las Ribes Blaves, Olesa de Montserrat, between July 2012, when Julia was released from prison, and November 2012, the period when authorities believe she was killed due to a lack of any trace after that time. Since then, Juanjo resided alone in the house, a place partly concealed behind a door and crowded with personal effects, located just a few meters from where Julia’s remains lay. Yet Juanjo claimed he had no knowledge that his sister was present and maintained that he was alive, although his statements to neighbors varied.
At one point, Juanjo offered several versions about Julia’s fate. He claimed Julia may have checked into a hostel or a convent, losing her mind in the process. In another account he suggested Julia left voluntarily to evade justice, a position he reportedly gave to outlets associated with the Iberian Press group. A third version alleged that Julia could have disappeared around the same timeframe after an incident described as trouble with certain individuals described as Moorish neighbors. If that were true, he asked, why had there been no report filed earlier?
Following the arrest, Juanjo was remanded in custody. The prosecution charged him with murder, citing aggravating factors such as the concealment of the victim and the familial relationship. A few weeks later, reports indicated that he was permitted to speak with the person accused during a court adjournment while awaiting trial for Julia’s murder and the concealment of her remains. A transcript of the exchange, as relayed by local press, included questions about the veracity of the accusation and Juanjo’s broader willingness to discuss the case. The account noted that several people had indicated disbelief in the allegations, while authorities continued to assemble the evidence surrounding the case.
In dialogue with investigators, Juanjo described a history of strained family relations and a troubling house setup. He referenced a hidden room that had often been kept in shadow and described a cleaning pattern prior to the police visit. When asked where the body could be found, he indicated a potential starting point but stated that nothing nearby suggested the discovery would unfold as it did. The interrogation touched on motives, family dynamics, and the broader social implications of a murder within a close circle, underscored by the sensitive nature of the residence where Julia had last been seen.
Neighbors later recalled how the investigation hinged on a crucial confession by someone close to the case, a person who possessed keys to the home and whose behavior had drawn scrutiny. A coworker or associate reportedly became a focal point in discussions about possible betrayal and the chain of events that led to the body’s concealment. The evolving narrative reflected the community’s effort to understand how a familiar setting could hide such a grim secret for so long, and how trust among neighbors and relatives can become a matter of public interest during a high profile inquiry.
The public response to the case has been complex. Among the questions raised, many centered on the tension between familial ties and unlawful acts, the ethics of close relationships under stress, and the psychological impact on a family that endures unresolved loss. The broader legal process continues to unfold as prosecutors pursue charges tied to murder and concealment, and as Juanjo awaits the next steps in the judicial system while remaining in custody. The ongoing case underscores the gravity of crimes within families and the long shadow they cast on the communities involved, as authorities seek to establish a clear account of what occurred, why it happened, and who was responsible for each action along the way. [source: local reporting]