Burriana described the Civil Guard as operating under extreme risk as 32-year-old Maialen Mazon faced pregnancy with twins, while also being a mother to a three-year-old girl who had been killed by her emotional partner in Vitoria the previous week. The authorities understood the gravity of this case so acutely that when the victim sought to move from Plana Baixa in Castellón to the Basque Country, officers placed her safety in the care of Ertzaintza, guiding her every step to Vitoria. When she reached her hometown, local district police took over the protective details. After reassessing the situation, they chose to downplay the danger. The most serious level—even this—was framed by Ertzaintza as the lowest of the risks identified in the surveillance assessments.
In the days that followed, events moved quickly. Reports indicate that the alleged perpetrator later killed his partner with a knife and fled toward the Valencian Community. In the wake of these new events, the initial risk assessment appeared not to have diminished, despite the dramatic turn of events.
The man suspected in the penultimate murder of a woman in Spain, as reported to this newspaper, is Jaime RN, 33, a Valencian resident who had taken his three-year-old daughter from Burriana to Vitoria, where the family had settled for a period. Maialen, under close police scrutiny because of her decision to separate from her partner after a prior gender-based violence conviction, presented herself at the Civil Guard barracks and told officers that she wished to relocate to the Basque Country to be with her daughter.
Civil Guards protected him 600 kilometers
Fully aware of the high risks Maialen faced and her unwavering commitment to leaving a dangerous relationship, the armed forces maintained the zero-tolerance protocol and carried out a protection plan that spanned nearly 600 kilometers. Yet, once they crossed into Basque territory and moved between two municipalities, the capacity to shield her shifted. The protective responsibility fell to district police, a unit not embedded within the national gender violence protection framework.
As reported by this outlet several days earlier, Maialen declined police assistance and chose to shorten the distance to stay with her abuser. This decision, taken in the context of intense fear and emotional entanglement, underscores the challenges faced by protection services when personal circumstances and jurisdictional limits intersect. The heartbreaking turn—an expectant mother carrying twins who was harmed by someone she trusted—brings into sharp relief questions about whether heightened monitoring and cross-jurisdictional coordination could have altered the outcome.
This tragedy has sparked a broader discussion about the effectiveness of protective protocols in cases that cross regional boundaries, the speed at which support can be mobilized, and the alignment of local authorities with national guidelines meant to shield survivors of gender-based violence. It also highlights the human cost of gaps between jurisdictions and the sometimes painful reality that even well-intentioned measures may not fully prevent violence when complex personal dynamics and mobility are involved.
In the wake of these events, advocates and officials are calling for clearer cross-border procedures, better communication channels among law enforcement agencies, and more robust risk assessment tools that can adapt as situations evolve. The case serves as a somber reminder that the safety of victims hinges not only on initial alerts but on sustained, coordinated protective action across all levels of law enforcement, social services, and support networks.
The wider community must confront the uncomfortable truth that pregnancy, family separation, and the threat of violence can intersect in unpredictable ways. When a survivor seeks to escape danger, every moment counts. Ensuring that protective measures stay in place, even as someone moves between jurisdictions, remains a critical objective for public safety systems across Spain and the neighboring regions where similar patterns have been observed. [Citation: Local reporting, authorities on record].