In Granadilla de Abona, the case centers on a fatal assault that occurred in a shared garage of the San Miguel building in the early hours of July 3, 2019. The incident left Gabino, a taxi driver with ties to the El Draguito neighborhood, dead after a beating that shocked his community. The defense for Jofre André Saldaña, then 18, has proposed an alleged motive connected to a drug sale, suggesting he mistook Gabino for a buyer when he entered the garage with reported alcohol and drug use earlier that night.
According to the defense, a confrontation escalated into a violent altercation. They argue Gabino was attacked as a result of a misunderstanding over a supposed cocaine transaction, and that the blows targeted sensitive areas such as the throat and head. The defense further notes that Gabino was already in a vulnerable state and suggests the young man may not have had a clear escape plan as the fight unfolded.
The prosecution and the victim’s family, however, present a markedly different account. They contend Gabino had no chance to defend himself when subjected to repeated punches and kicks that caused fatal injuries before he died. There is also an accusation that the assailants attempted to conceal what happened by burning evidence with toxic substances, and that a robbery may have occurred in the wake of the assault. The case is being heard with the understanding that the motive and circumstances are still under investigation by authorities. The public ministry has indicated that the exact reason for the fatal beating may remain unclear, stressing that justification is not a factor in the Spanish justice process as it relates to this crime.
The defendant faced the courtroom proceedings without answering questions from the prosecutor and the private prosecution lawyer. He did not respond to the defense counsel, who has outlined the defense theory in detail. The trial includes testimony about the sequence of events inside the garage, the location of the victims and suspects, and the movements of the accused before and after the confrontation.
Gabino, who worked as a taxi driver in the municipality of Adeje, had recently moved to the San Miguel complex. He had relocated just a couple of days before the incident and was living in Las Chafiras at the time. On the night in question, he reportedly carried belongings in a vehicle as part of the move and entered the San Miguel garage around 3:25 a.m. The defense claims he remembered a routine and peaceful life, with no history of violence or public trouble, which is echoed by those who knew him as a calm, dependable person.
Witnesses describe the moments after the clash as chaotic. The defense claims the altercation began after an attempt to complete a sale that never materialized, pointing to a possible misunderstanding about the buyer’s identity. The prosecution emphasizes the brutal nature of the attack and argues Gabino faced multiple blows that inflicted serious harm before he ceased to breathe. The defense contends that the assailant could not control his actions due to intoxication, while the prosecution notes there is no documented proof that the accused was under the influence at the time of the incident.
The emotional partner of Gabino, María, described their eight-year relationship and recalled Gabino’s usual routine, including his late-night arrivals after night shifts. She learned of the tragedy when she discovered his absence and, later, his lifeless body at the scene. She described Gabino as a calm, peace-loving man who never engaged in fights, and she denied knowledge of any ongoing problems with others that would justify such violence. She also indicated that Gabino did not use alcohol or drugs regularly, though she acknowledged that he had occasionally used anxiolytics in the past to sleep.
María spoke about the moment she realized something was terribly wrong. She woke up after his expected return time and found the garage door without a signal of his presence. She called emergency services as soon as she could, but the situation was already dire. She described Gabino as someone who cared deeply about his family and his work, a man who valued his quiet life and his responsibilities as a taxi driver.
The couple’s daughter described her father as a normal, hardworking man whose priorities were his family and his job. She emphasized that she had never witnessed him engage in violence and that this event did not align with the person she knew. In the aftermath, she sought psychological support to cope with the loss and the confusion surrounding the events inside the garage.
Those who testified noted the quiet nature of the San Miguel housing estate, underscoring that such violence was out of character for the neighborhood. Neighbors recalled a calm environment, and the sudden tragedy prompted a broader discussion about safety and the factors that can lead to such unnecessary harm. The case continues to unfold as investigators and jurors weigh the competing narratives and determine the most accurate sequence of events that led to Gabino’s death. In the end, the aim is to uncover the truth about what happened in those early hours and to ensure that justice is served for a community left seeking answers [Cited: Court records].