In the latest developments, the Deborah case centers on a forgotten box of supplies and files stored deep within the Madrid National Police archives. The investigation into the disappearance and death of a Vigo-born young woman has long been shadowed by questions about a suspect Nokia phone linked to events in 2002. The family has pointed to a missing terminal, and the current summary hints at a star-shaped discrepancy that remains unexplained. The handling of evidence during the investigation continues to provoke questions about the integrity of the police work and its possible impact on the case.
When the case was reopened by authorities in 2019, one persistent question from Déborah’s relatives concerned the whereabouts of her mobile device. The mother recalls giving the phone to two agents who visited her home four years after the events, as part of the ongoing inquiry. A report from the 2019 review stated that there was no documentation proving the phone had been seized for analysis. Early in the inquiry, two Madrid Crimes Against Persons Brigade officers said that no relatives had turned over the phone. Records in the officers’ work diaries showed only data about incoming calls and an entry in the phone’s address book. Some agents performed a visual inspection, while others note that family members may have provided details at the outset of the investigation.
After reopening, the investigator in charge left the police
When the Madrid team resumed work on Déborah’s case in 2019, Sub-inspector Carlos Segarra led the group handling the investigation. He recently departed the National Police to begin a new chapter as a lawyer and has since appeared on a television program discussing the case. He confirmed that initial investigators had possession of Déborah’s phone and claimed it had been analyzed, but no precise data could be located.
For some time, the matter appeared to be resolved as the police in Madrid denied that Déborah had a cell phone. In 2002, phones were not the smartphones people rely on today, and the data stored on them was typically limited to calls and simple messages. The police asserted that review of such data could be done through a straightforward audit rather than a full forensic analysis.
a new version
Recently, the National Police presented a different account to the judge, in an official letter requesting access to the phone found in the forgotten box. Officials now say this Nokia phone could indeed be Déborah’s. The new report references a visit to Vigo in January 2006 by the officers in charge at the time, noting that on the 11th of that month the young woman visited her parents and took along her personal agenda and, with it, the phone itself. The implication is that the device may have been moved or used during that visit.
Whether Déborah’s terminal was ever thoroughly inspected remains unclear. The case does not show any expert reports confirming a comprehensive examination. Investigators have asked the judge to authorize sending the Madrid office’s old Nokia to the Scientific Police for analysis. The goals are twofold: confirm the phone belonged to the victim and extract any information it may contain. One detail missing from the file is the SIM card, which would limit the amount of data available for review.
A section that casts a shadow on the chain of custody of the evidence
The handling of Déborah’s evidence box in the Murder and Disappearance Division of the Madrid National Police remains a point of concern. Inside the box, beside the presumed victim’s phone, lay six VHS videotapes, along with police documents and photographs. The disappearance of this file raises serious questions about the chain of custody, a cornerstone for using any evidence in forensic work. The overall management of this evidence, including the phone, has drawn scrutiny over the control and integrity of the investigative materials. A preliminary assessment described the data partition on the phone as being altered, suggesting possible data erasure after the device was handed to the National Police in 2006. Déborah’s family has pressed for a full review of the chain of custody from that year onward, but a recent judicial decision refused to extend the examination, a decision later challenged by the defense. Officials have emphasized continued dedication to clarifying the facts and ensuring accountability in the process. [Source: Internal police records and subsequent judicial correspondence]