In Murcia Court, Abdullatif A. Faces Trial for the 2020 Killing of Salwa
On a Monday seated at the Murcia County Court, Abdullatif A. stood accused following the 2020 incident at their Águilas home, during which Salwa was killed after a dispute that began with tensions at the family residence. The courtroom heard that the defendants had, in the weeks prior, summed up a life that was strained by jealousy and fear, and that children had been sent to the beach with family members amid the turmoil. The defendant, recently released from a period of incarceration for drug offenses, now faces a severe penalty for murder, with additional time potentially added for illegal weapons possession. The proceedings began with jury selection on the courthouse’s fourth floor as prosecutors laid out the events of that day and the breakup of a household already under strain.
The two children discovered their mother’s body when they returned from the beach
The Ministry of Public Administration described a premeditated plan surrounding Salwa’s killing, noting that she had intended to leave and had spoken with her eldest daughter about the impact of the family’s challenges. Those close to the case describe a climate in which sexist attitudes persisted, a problem that many months after the arrest continued to be part of the conversation around the family and community healing.
“The accused claimed his wife accused him of infidelity and blamed him for bringing visitors to their home in Morocco”
During the day of the crime, the defense notes that the accused briefly left the home and went to the building’s basement, where he retrieved a firearm. Prosecutors contend that the weapon had been prepared in advance, and that possession permits were not in place. The fatal shot was delivered at a short range, with Salwa falling at close distance from the chest, the result of a sudden, high-tension moment in the couple’s ongoing dispute. The two minor children found their mother’s body while returning from the beach, while Abdullatif fled but was soon located hiding aboard a boat and subsequently detained by the Lorca Investigation Court until the current proceedings.
“The decision seemed framed as a choice for Salwa’s own safety or the absence of anyone else”
The special prosecutor’s office described a plan that would have enabled the accused to leave Spain, suggesting that cooperation from others could have altered the outcome. The prosecutor emphasized that the case bears the weight of restoring stability to a family torn apart by loss, while acknowledging the broader conversation about gender violence and accountability for all involved. The courtroom heard calls for justice that protect women and children while recognizing the impact on surviving family members.
“Empathy as a lens”
Attorney German Perez, representing the defendant, acknowledged that prior legal representation suggested the act was an accident, a claim not supported by evidence presented here. The defense argued that context matters and questioned whether a person under significant personal strain could still be responsible for such violence. The lawyer asked whether someone facing severe personal deprivation would act in the same way under different circumstances.
“Messages of alleged infidelity influenced the situation”
The case notes that the accused had just emerged from a lengthy period of freedom restrictions and faced personal struggles, including unemployment and the impact of substance use. The defense stressed that violence could not be justified, but argued for a nuanced understanding of how mounting stress shapes responses in moments of crisis. The advocate stressed that the goal was to weigh all factors and determine where responsibility lies, while keeping in mind the broader issue of protecting families from harm.
The lawyer described the defendant’s attempt to consider both the allegations against him and any factors that might favor him in court, stressing the emotional intensity present in the family at the time of the incident. Salwa’s death stood alongside other tragic acts attributed to domestic violence in the region, highlighting the ongoing struggle to break cycles of coercion and fear.
Statement from the Accused
Accompanied by a translator, Abdullatif presented his account. He asserted that Salwa had not told him to leave the home and denied ever striking his wife. He denied the neighbors’ and his daughter’s claims and described a turning point that began during his prison sentence for drug offenses. He said Salwa accused him of bringing women to their home in Morocco, a claim he disputes, and he claimed that this accusation changed their relationship thereafter.
The defense explained that the shotgun used belonged to another person who had worked with Abdullatif for many years, and that a gun and a pistol stored in a basement were later hidden away. The defendant recounted that after the incident, he fled and later traveled to a police area, where he contacted a friend about the situation. He described being guided to a location where others helped him, and where a relative eventually alerted authorities out of concern for his safety.
During testimony, the defendant described a sequence of quarrels about staying in the home and insults exchanged between him and Salwa. He claimed it escalated suddenly and that he was overwhelmed, to the point of losing track of his actions. He recounted finding himself alone with his wife in the moment of the confrontation, followed by the decision to leave the premises and seek help, an action he later described as driven by fear and confusion rather than premeditated malice.
The case continues to unfold as investigators and the court examine every aspect of the events, including the dynamics within the family, the history of violence, and the consequences for the children who endured the upheaval. The proceedings will consider whether the state should assign responsibility for the tragedy, and how to prevent similar outcomes in the future.