The authorities arrested the alleged perpetrator in the afternoon, a young man who lived in the same home as the victim. The case concerns the murder of Alfonso López Benito, a revered canon at the Valencia Cathedral. The 80-year-old was found lifeless in his bed on Tuesday morning, unclothed and showing clear signs of strangulation. The suspect, a young man who cohabited with the victim, was reportedly planning to have sexual relations with him and is also suspected of theft for seizing the pastor’s mobile phone and sending messages from it. It appears someone used the victim’s identity to claim they would be unavailable for a few days, with the intent of delaying discovery of the body.
The arrest occurred within 24 hours of the discovery. The National Police delivered a quick and effective investigation, leading to the arrest in a relatively short timeframe.
He Came Home Regularly
The person taken into custody is a citizen of a South American country and remains detained for questioning. Homicide investigators traced the suspect through cellphone records and corroborating information from people close to Alfonso López Benito. By visiting the home regularly and staying there for several days, the suspect could have been identified more easily. It is not yet clear whether the young man knew the canon personally or acted on his own accord in connection with his death.
Archdiocesan Response
Reports indicate the arrested individual was among several young people whom the priest hosted at his home in exchange for financial help. Multiple witnesses described this arrangement as occurring frequently, sparking concerns among neighbors and drawing the attention of authorities. The archdiocese has previously expressed concerns about taking vulnerable youths into homes under the guise of assistance.
According to collected information, some of the youths involved were seen in public spaces as workers in the city center. Alfonso López Benito was appointed canon of Valencia Cathedral in July 2015 by the city’s then-archbishop and served in that role until his retirement in June 2021, at age 75, after which he held the title of canon emeritus. Prior to that, from 1999 to 2015, he served as canon of the collegiate church of San Bartolomé Apóstol y San Miguel Arcángel in his native Valencia.
He earned a Doctor of Canon Law from the Pontifical Lateran University, where he was ordained in Rome in 1969. He dedicated his life to priestly service and teaching within various churches and academic institutions, including the Valencian Institute of Legal Studies and the Canon Law Faculty of the Catholic University. He also contributed to the Ecclesiastical Court of the Archdiocese of Valencia and authored several books.
The archdiocese released a brief statement yesterday, expressing regret over the death of the former advisor and confirming a willingness to cooperate fully with authorities to clarify the facts.