Murcia case in 2021: details emerge as trial unfolds
Natalia, now 20, testified about the events surrounding the death of her ex-partner, Juan Manuel, in a case that has drawn intense scrutiny in the La Puebla area. Prosecution alleges a brutal sequence: a wrench to the head, a vehicle ride, and a fire that destroyed the car. Natalia claims Agustín was the instigator who set the car ablaze, while she insists she was not acting alone and that sexism and violence shaped the relationship itself. The two suspects in court are Agustín M.A. and Natalia, each denying sole responsibility and pointing fingers at the other.
The trial, held in the Fifth Division of the Regional Court of Murcia in Cartagena, began with prosecutors seeking harsher punishments. The state argues a combined total of 69 years in prison—35 years for Agustín and 34 for Natalia—though Agustín contends that Natalia planned the crime and portrays her as the aggressor in the relationship. Natalia’s defense emphasizes that she endured violent treatment and argues that her actions were influenced by coercion and control.
During a brief post-lunch moment in court, Natalia affirmed that Agustín bore hatred toward Juan Manuel even before the two men crossed paths. She recounted how, after ending her four-year relationship with Juan Manuel, she found herself at a crossroads and still linked to the man who had become her ex.
“I took a shower 4-5 times to wash away the blood.”
Natalia described ongoing communication with Juan Manuel and explained the emotional turmoil that followed their breakup. She recalled the night they met again, a night defined by tense exchanges and a struggle that culminated in a car ride through a rural area, with both men claiming they were forced into a confrontation. Natalia admitted that Agustín contacted her multiple times and that she accompanied him to discuss their situation, ostensibly to try to resolve the crisis, though the outcome escalated beyond control.
“It made me sad not to be with him”
Natalia described the night as one of confusion and fear. She stayed with the man she once dated, only to be drawn into a confrontation with Agustín, who allegedly appeared agitated. She noted that Agustín drove aggressively, and the situation quickly escalated into physical conflict between the two men in the car. Natalia claimed she attempted to leave but found herself pulled back into a dangerous sequence as the two men fought and then drove off with her inside the vehicle.
In Natalia’s account, she and Agustín argued, then entered a remote area where the confrontation intensified. She described the moment when the car stopped and the two men fought while she remained seated, trying to distance herself from the violence. She said Agustín later entered the back seat, and she drove while the two men argued and fought, with Natalia attempting to disengage from the conflict.
Natalia said she wore glasses and contact lenses, noting that her vision was poor even at close range. She stated that she unintentionally struck Juan Manuel during the driving episode and that the more serious injuries occurred afterward as the men continued their struggle. She insisted that Agustín was the one who set the car on fire after the violent episode.
The witness described feeling afraid for her life, repeatedly washing away the blood, and awaiting police intervention several hours later. The courtroom heard that the incident attracted neighbors who reported the car fire to emergency services.
Augustín’s testimony
Augustine, who has a reported 43% disability, testified with the help of a facilitator. He described the relationship with Natalia as largely ordinary until tensions rose. He claimed he was urged to act and claimed that without direction he would have been unable to restrain his own impulses. He described a sequence in which he was told to proceed with a plan that would end in violence, a plan he says Natalia had influenced or prompted.
In his statements, Augustine recalled receiving a directive during the night of the death. He also discussed a request to obtain a wrench for a separate purpose, explaining that the couple had faced housing pressures and family conflict that influenced their decisions. He asserted Natalia left with Juan Manuel, only to be tracked down later in La Puebla and confronted in a secluded spot.
Augustine described the ensuing confrontation, recounting how Natalia allegedly remained behind the wheel as the two men fought, and how the car was eventually involved in a fire after the conflict concluded. He claimed to have felt shock upon seeing the vehicle burning and insisted that his own actions were not intended to end Juan Manuel’s life, even while acknowledging that his statements had changed over time in an effort to protect Natalia before recognizing the reality of the situation.
What the prosecutor’s office says
According to the Public Ministry, Natalia traveled to her ex-boyfriend Juan Manuel’s home at dawn and joined him in a car that carried them toward a remote area. The narrative states that Agustín arrived by bicycle and, together with the others, engaged in a violent altercation. The prosecutor contends that a wrench was used to strike the victim’s head, multiple punches were delivered, and the group forced Juan Manuel into the vehicle where he was again assaulted and then subjected to a lighter ignition attempt as a final effort to end his life.
The filing indicates that all actions were taken with a clear intent to kill, with the aim of eliminating any chance of defense for the victim. A neighbor reported the car on fire around the time of the incident, and emergency services were called in as the vehicle burned in the early morning hours.
The case continues to unfold as the court weighs the evidence and testimonies from all involved parties. The proceedings are closely watched by the community and legal observers who seek clarity on the sequence of events and the roles played by each defendant.