In Estepona, Málaga, a 48-year-old man who previously attacked his former partner was arrested after a brutal stabbing witnessed by his two youngest daughters. The incident occurred last December 19, and reports indicate that the man was later found lifeless in prison this past Tuesday. Details point to a suicide suspected by authorities, aligning with early indications from sources in the region (Source: EFE).
According to related sources, although the final cause of death will be established by the judicial authorities following an autopsy, the evidence at the scene suggests suicide. The news outlet ABC confirmed the death shortly after the morning edition had been published, noting that the inmate had been alone in his cell when a companion was temporarily released to run errands (Source: ABC).
Estepona Court of First Instance No. 3, together with its violence against women division, had ordered the man to remain in pretrial detention without bail on December 22, following the assault in which he struck his ex-wife, 42 years old, with eight stab wounds to the back using a razor (Source: EFE).
The couple’s 17-year-old eldest daughter intervened to shield her mother from further harm, managing to keep the injuries from worsening. This act of courage was highlighted in statements to authorities and has been noted in coverage of the case (Source: EFE).
Prior to the current case, the man had already been released from prison in November after serving a sentence for domestic violence handed down by a Marbella court. He was also convicted in connection with another offense of enforced theft, and he had lived with his family in Marbella before the events that led to the arrest this month (Source: Marbella court records, and reports cited by EFE).
Authorities are now examining whether the same individual may have been involved in a separate aggravated assault described as an attempted murder against his ex-wife, who required hospital care. Investigators are pursuing all lines of inquiry to determine the exact sequence of events and any possible connections between the two incidents (Source: EFE).
The sequence of the attack began on the home’s landing, where the assailant reportedly produced a pocket knife and stabbed his partner as he returned from work. The physical altercation prompted the victim to retreat behind a door, seeking safety as the attacker pressed the assault. Neighbors were alerted by the distressed cries of the couple’s children, who tried to intervene and provide help (Source: Local police statements, and reports referenced by EFE).
The two daughters, witnessing their mother’s struggle, called for help while the family’s elder child urged them to step back and seek aid from neighbors. Moments later, the attacker fled the residence, leaving behind a scene of fear and distress. Local responders arrived promptly, and authorities reported that the suspect was apprehended a short distance away, armed with a firearm and showing self-inflicted injuries to one arm as he attempted to escape (Source: Police reports, and EFE).