A 26-year-old man from Colombia was convicted in Alicante on charges stemming from a fatal stabbing that occurred after a dispute over an 80-euro loan in La Vila Joiosa. The court found him guilty of manslaughter following a trial by jury and ordered him to serve a prison term, along with ten years of probation and financial restitution to the victim’s family. The sentence also requires reimbursement of 100,000 euros to the victim’s mother and 25,000 euros to her sister, according to judicial reports.
The jury accepted, beyond reasonable doubt, that the defendant deliberately caused the death of his opponent during the altercation, and did so with a degree of intent or awareness that his actions could seriously harm him. The court rejected the defense’s claim of self-defense, and the defendant’s attorney later argued that fear in the days leading up to the confrontation did not justify his client’s actions.
The fatal event was captured by neighborhood surveillance cameras and took place on May 27, 2021, around 13:40, shortly after a dispute over the debt. What began as a financial disagreement escalated into a confrontation that ended in violence.
The court record shows the defendant issued a challenge to settle their differences in person. This exchange of messages led to the two men meeting at the entrance of the building where the defendant lived, with the defendant reportedly armed with an eight-centimeter knife while the victim approached with a machete concealed on his person.
The two individuals reportedly engaged in a physical struggle, during which the defendant knocked the victim to the ground. The defendant then stood over him, rendered him immobile, and stabbed him multiple times in vital areas, causing seven wounds and the victim’s death within a short distance of the building entrance.
At the conclusion of the trial, the prosecution had sought a 12-year term, while the private prosecution, represented by counsel for the victim’s family, requested a 15-year sentence. The defense urged for a 10-year term, arguing this reflected the minimum for murder, and a decision on the sentence was to be issued by the Civil and Criminal Division of the Supreme Court of Justice within ten days of notification.