The jury in the Romina Celeste case delivered its verdict on Tuesday at noon. The admitted killer, Raúl DC, was found guilty on all charges. He had already confessed during the first trial session, held Friday at the City of Justice in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, that he mistreated his wife, killed her, and dispersed her remains across the country, beginning from the Lanzarote coast.
Jurors reached unanimous agreement, with the nine members confirming the facts presented by the prosecution. The timeline unfolded with the couple meeting in Madrid at the end of 2017, moving to Lanzarote in 2018, and marrying in August of that year. The defense described ongoing abuse during intimate moments and pointed to two injuries in August 2018 at the Gran Hotel de Arrecife and at the conjugal home in December that year. The prosecution asserted that the murder occurred around the start of 2019, after which the body was fragmented and scattered along the Lanzarote coastline.
Many parties had expressed a desire to modify provisional findings to reflect damages and urged a guilty verdict. The public ministry reduced its initial prison request to 12 years and six months for the completed murder, with additional terms for habitual abuse, the hotel attack, the home assault, and the desecration of bodies, along with a fine of 1,080 euros payable over six months at a daily rate. The final sentencing timetable was outlined by the court after deliberations.
Apology
Raúl DC delivered his final statements just before the jury retired to deliberate, expressing apologies to Romina’s family, to his own family, and to society at large. He echoed a proverb about forgiveness, remarking that forgiveness is something earned rather than asked for.
He also acknowledged the jury’s work and indicated a willingness to accept the verdict and the judge’s sentence, planning to surrender to prison as required.
I can’t prove it was murder
In the closing remarks, Jesús Lomba, the Gender-Based Violence prosecutor, noted that while the requested sentence might seem low, it was not anchored to current law. He asserted that proving murder beyond a doubt was challenging since no body was found to provide definitive evidence. He stated that the precise details of the incident remained unknown. Nevertheless, Lomba summarized the case and argued that the evidence presented at the hearings was sufficient to establish the accused’s guilt, expressing a wish for Romina’s memory to be safeguarded, for her family to find peace, and for her honor to be restored.
Both Emilia Zaballos, representative of the Special Prosecutor’s Office, and Pino de la Nuez, from the Prosecutor’s Office, emphasized the ongoing need to combat gender-based violence. Zaballos highlighted perceived systemic failures and urged continued attention to this societal issue, noting prior concerns raised when Romina was treated in hospital shortly before the murder. De la Nuez stressed the necessity of integrating gender perspectives into all facets of justice, pointing out that the defendant’s confession did not amount to a pardon or remorse. Zaballos also suggested that the defendant’s admission was provoked by the available evidence.
The defense, led by Nicolás Revuelto Lalinde, argued that the aim was not to extend the procedure but to ensure a fair process. He stated that the defense did not seek unnecessary delays and indicated there would be no appeal of the sentence.
All parties aligned with the private and popular prosecutions and the defense. The Second Division of the Las Palmas State Court is expected to issue a final ruling in the coming days.