With José Manuel Durán González already in custody as the prime suspect in the suitcase murder, and after the evidence gathered by the National Police in this intricate investigation that ultimately led to a successful resolution, a judicial instruction now lies ahead. Despite the dizzying sequence of discoveries and events in recent days that culminated in the arrest of the alleged killer, the case remains in its early stages as it moves through the legal process.
The day of the arrest, authorities also received the scientific identification results confirming that the victim is the same woman who shared a room with O Chioleiro at the Fragoso Avenue rental flat near the site where the body was found inside the suitcase.
Her name is María del Carmen Bento Domínguez, a 60-year-old woman originally from the parish of Santa Eufemia de Milmanda in Celanova. She had lived for many years in Vigo and had been in a vulnerable social position for some time. The case is not currently treated as gender-based violence, though the victim had previously endured gender violence from two men with whom she had a romantic link. One report dates back to 2008, and another to 2023, the same year in which investigators believe O Chioleiro fatally stabbed her in the heart and then concealed the body, abandoning it in a sunken plot behind the luggage.
In a case still surrounded by considerable silence, the Galicia Superior Court confirmed yesterday that, for the moment, the matter does not fall under gender-based violence jurisdiction. As a result, the charge will not move to the Vigo Women’s Violence Court, which handles cases when the victim and abuser share a romantic link, and the matter will continue to be overseen by the Court of Instruction No. 4 from the outset, the same court that supervised the probe when the suitcase containing the body was found in Espedrigada on February 22 in an advanced state of decomposition.
Police findings indicate that José Manuel and Carmen lived together in the Fragoso rental on the fifth floor of No. 83, Fragoso. However, based on information released yesterday, there is no current evidence suggesting they shared a romantic relationship beyond cohabitation.
VioGén
The victim’s name appeared in police databases, including the VioGén System (Integrated System for Tracking Gender Violence Cases). Records show two alleged cases of mistreatment involving partners with whom she had a romantic link: one dating back 15 years to 2008, and the other from 2023. Apparently, she did not have an active protective order at the time. Neighbors recall her as visibly frail and unwell while living at Fragoso, with some linking her condition to drug use. Observers noted she had led a difficult life.
Regarding the case, Abel Losada, the government’s deputy in Pontevedra, highlighted the police’s “excellent work” and thanked the neighborhood for its cooperation. Testimonies from residents helped steer the investigation in its early, unusual direction after a strong odor drew attention to the building in September. The odor was later connected to a couple who had stayed at the pension that summer, where the woman disappeared a few days later while the man remained for several more months. Local police even visited that address on September 28 due to the odor, though the pension linked the odor to manure in the area.
Key DNA Evidence
The presence of blood in the Fragoso Avenue room, where a search and seizure operation recently took place, situates the scene of the crime there. After a thorough inspection and collection of samples by the Vigo Scientific Brigade and the Judicial Police, the next step is careful analysis of those samples to uncover DNA material, a central form of evidence in any murder case.
Alongside undisclosed evidence, investigators took a mattress bearing blood traces for further study. However, the suitcase that contained the corpse is likely the most crucial item for recovering genetic material or fingerprints. Both the suitcase and the wrapping plastic will be processed to gather charges in this ongoing case, currently pursued as suspected homicide or murder, to be clarified during the judicial instruction.
O Chioleiro was admitted to A Lama late Friday. Described as aged 66, he has a long criminal history including past convictions for killing his grandmother in 1988 and a friend in 2004. Several witnesses note that he appears aged and somewhat unkempt now and, as in the past, continues to smoke. He has spent more than half his life behind bars as his record shows.