Judicial authorities overseeing the Mission Court of Gran Canaria have ordered preventive detention for the man accused in connection with the assault on lawyer Juan Betancor. The case involves charges of murder, additional threats, and two counts of illegal detention. He has not been produced before the court for formal remand, and bail has not been granted at this stage.
The alleged incident happened around 11:00 in the morning on a Sunday at a rural property along the Camino de La Cruz del Gamonal, situated in a secluded farm area near the Gamonal Alto estate. According to investigators, the defendant reportedly subjected Betancor to brutal violence and then confined him inside a closed cistern without access to sustained support.
The suspect is a 72-year-old Cape Verdean national who was brought to the Gamonal farm area roughly a decade ago with Betancor. He reportedly confessed to the actions after being detained on the same day.
Juan Betancor was initially transported by a medical ambulance operated by the Canary Islands Emergency Service to Doctor Negrín Hospital in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria for immediate assessment. Medical professionals determined that the injuries were severe enough to warrant air transfer, and Betancor was subsequently moved by a medical aircraft from the Canary Islands Emergency Service to a facility in Madrid. The patient sustained burns estimated at 80 percent of his body surface, with multiple wounds that proved challenging to treat in the aftermath.
As the investigation continues, authorities are consolidating witness statements and forensic findings to establish a precise sequence of events and the motive behind the assault. The case remains under stringent surveillance by the local prosecutor and relevant security agencies, with updates to be shared as new evidence emerges. For accountability, the legal process will review the alleged perpetrator’s actions in light of applicable penal statutes, including murder charges and the related offenses cited above. The reporting on this incident is based on contemporaneous disclosures from regional authorities and established emergency services communication logs.