The Madrid Court handed down a prison sentence of 19 years to a Spanish citizen for the murder of Esther Escobar, a Paraguayan woman he met at a stewardess club in Madrid’s Linear district. The killing occurred in February 2020 in the middle of a street after she declined a romantic relationship. The court found him guilty of murder and illegal possession of weapons. In addition to the prison term, the defendant must serve a separate sentence for weapons offenses.
The ruling allocates 17 years to be served for the murder and two years for the illegal possession of firearms, reflecting the two separate criminal convictions involved in the verdict.
The court recognized a factor of gender violence connected to the crime, along with the emotional state of the accused at the time, while also considering extenuating circumstances due to the confession made during the proceedings.
The convict is required to compensate the victim’s eight close relatives, including four daughters, two sisters, and their parents, with a total of 453,000 euros. An eight-year probation period accompanies the sentence.
According to the verdict reached by the popular jury on July 13, Antonio L. was unanimously found guilty. The court’s assessment concluded that after Esther Escobar refused his attempts at a romantic relationship, he killed her by suffocation and shot her in the head when she rejected his advances.
The court noted that a developing friendship had begun in July 2019 and ended in February 2020 because the defendant sought a romantic relationship that she did not consent to.
It was alleged that Antonio L. did not accept the woman’s decision and attempted to force himself into a relationship. On February 26, he met her on Virgen de los Reyes Street in Madrid, and, acting with clear intent, restrained her and shot her in the head with a firearm, according to the sentence.
The defense arguments stated that the motive was tied to a rejection and a desire to assert control, with the court concluding that the killing was connected to the victim’s refusal to be subordinated to the accused.
The verdict also notes that the convict showed signs of acute distress following the rejection, which was considered as a mitigating factor related to passion.
Esther Escobar was 40 years old and left behind four daughters, one of whom was a minor.
Reports from Albacete police indicate that the defendant later recanted his initial statements, claiming the owners of the club had fled out of fear. He had originally confessed to the acts in a separate interview with investigators.
During the hearing, police stated that the defendant admitted ending Esther’s life because she was tired of serving other men.
The prosecutor pressed for a combined sentence of 26 and a half years, while the private prosecution on behalf of the victim’s family requested 27 years in prison. These figures frame the final judicial outcome, reflecting the court’s assessment of the evidence and the aggravating factors involved. (Source: EFE)”}