The most revealing detail about Pablo Muñiz is connected to his work life. Civil Guard investigators handling the El Picón case have established that his daily movements during stays in Ribera de Arriba for a local industry job were a sham, revealing a double life. His father, with whom he lived, believed he worked for a dairy products company. In reality, authorities have confirmed that he had not worked there for more than 15 years. Sources consulted for this report indicate he stayed there only a few weeks in the early decades of this century. Investigators are now seeking to determine whether the attack began after the victim uncovered the false life Muñiz led.
For years, according to evidence gathered by the Civil Guard, the son kept up appearances for his father and the surrounding circle. He left home each morning with a backpack, allegedly bound for his workplace, and returned when his shift supposedly ended. Pablo Muñiz lodged alternately in Ribera de Arriba, where he ended the life of his father, and in Grado, where his mother has lived since the marriage ended years ago.
To justify his stays in the small Ribera de Arriba village, the killer used contracts that the investigation now indicates never existed. Between June and September he supposedly slept in El Picón to attend work daily. Yet the duration and timing of his stays varied. In recent times he had lived about a month at his father’s house before the attack on the preceding Monday.
The Civil Guard is examining whether the clash between father and son that sparked the crime on Monday night could have been triggered by the father or someone in Muñiz’s circle discovering this long-running deception, which may have precipitated a psychotic episode in the man.
Father and son first argued, during which Muñiz stabbed his father. The man managed to seek help from neighbors at the doorway, but Muñiz then decapitated him with an axe. He grabbed the head and headed to the Soto de Ribera roundabout, where he attacked several drivers before being subdued and arrested by the Civil Guard.
“They all felt deceived”
“We are completely baffled. It turns out he had deceived us all”, said several neighbors near the man decapitated by his son in El Picón on Monday night, after learning that the Civil Guard discovered the 46-year-old who is now at the HUCA hospital with a psychotic episode had been simulating a job at a well-known local factory for fifteen years. The realization surprised residents who knew him, with some saying that witnesses often saw the suspect walking along El Picón road toward Vegalencia wearing a cap, a backpack, and work clothes. The routes matched the factory shifts. “If you cut me, I won’t bleed; it’s like I’m a movie actor”, shouted one neighbor. This development deepens the community’s confusion in a town where no one imagined the hospitalized man could commit violence. “He seemed calm, solitary, but focused on his own things. He even accompanied his father on mountain trips”, neighbors recall.
Witnesses described the arrest: “It took a lot to subdue him; he was out of control.” They spoke of a man who appeared in a frenzy, moving from one place to another, laughing loudly and shouting. Some neighbors noticed the Guards’ efforts and recalled that the assailant seemed to ignore the physical force used to restrain him. A guard even heard a friend say his hands still hurt from restraining him. Nearby residents and drivers also witnessed the moment, reporting a scene like a movie. One local woman recalled: “The sight was unbelievable; I wasn’t sure if I was dreaming.” A man who knew both the killer and the victim added: “When I saw it, I could hardly believe it and thought about how close I was to danger.” The episode left a lasting impression on those who pass the roundabout daily, with some describing a tingling sensation whenever they approach the spot.
“Witnesses to the arrest of the El Picón killer told LA NUEVA ESPAÑA that officers faced significant difficulty in restraining the forty-six-year-old man, who decapitated his father and wandered around the Soto de Ribera roundabout. One observer said it was hard to bring him under control, and colleagues noted he seemed incredibly strong.” A local resident described him as “out of his mind, moving back and forth, chanting and laughing aloud.” Another neighbor mentioned a police colleague’s remark that his hands were still sore from the effort. In addition to motorists who were harmed by the killer’s actions, nearby residents who witnessed the arrest also shared their memories of the event. A resident from Oviedo, who often travels the area for work, said the incident left a lasting impression, especially on nights when the road is quiet and the headlights shine on the roundabout.
“Witnesses at the scene reported the arrest was like something out of a film. He was nude, covered in blood, and screaming as officers closed in.” A resident who knows the area well added that the event has created a chilling memory for those who pass by the roundabout. Some locals even admit a shiver when they drive past, recalling the dramatic moment when the assailant was brought under control.