Despite prosecution and defense efforts, a dramatic case played out in Torrevieja where a shooting inside a residence led to a harsh verdict for an accomplice in a murder. The victim died from a gunshot to the head at a Torrevieja home, where three people were present—a man and a woman among them. In the investigation, one man claimed he was merely in the wrong place at the wrong time, caught in a gun attack, even though he was linked to the crime as a member of the same gang whose member had died. He said he helped his partner escape the scene because he feared what might happen to him.
a popular jury did not wholly accept this version, evaluating the participation of the accused as more active than claimed. The presiding magistrate of the people’s court issued a decision that led to a sentence of seven and a half years in prison as an accomplice in a murder, with the newspaper noting that the perpetrator acted on his own behalf. The total potential sentence for treason, murder, and illegal weapons possession could reach up to seventeen years.
The prosecutor and the defense had agreed that the applicant should receive two years in prison, arguing there was insufficient evidence of a crime. The court, however, did not accept that argument, stating that the required proof of insurmountable fear had not been established. The judgment ordered compensations: 95,000 euros to the victim’s girlfriend, 42,000 euros to each of her parents, and 20,000 euros to the victim’s brother.
The incident occurred on 22 December 2020 in an apartment in Torrevieja, where the 26-year-old victim was in the company of the two defendants. The victim was part of an organization involved in attacks on rival drug trafficking groups. As he stood in the hallway, a gunshot struck him in the head, leaving him unable to react. The two defendants fled to Lorca. During the escape, the main offender burned his clothes in a tunnel beneath the railway line and wore garments that had been left for him by the other defendant’s son.
The court found that the accused contributed to the victim’s death through his conduct, but that such contribution was not necessary for the execution of the crime, i.e., dispensable. The judge stated that the jury’s verdict showed he helped facilitate the crime by removing obstacles to escape and by ensuring the exit door remained blocked, thereby ensuring the victim could not escape.
Escape to Lorca
The defendant argued that fear of retaliation from the murderer drove his actions. The jury noted that the accused was aware of his partner’s activities and that his actions after fleeing to Lorca—where he had a few drinks and allowed his son to borrow clothes—did not demonstrate insurmountable fear. Between 22 and 24 December, the period of the arrest, the court concluded there was enough time for the defendant to act differently, and it stressed that he did not inform authorities and misled investigators, later lying during his deposition.
The defense attorney, José Luis Alonso Lacal, announced that an appeal against the sentence was being prepared for the High Court of Justice. The other defendant was released while awaiting proceedings.
At the time of arrest, the defendant reportedly reassured Civil Guard officers that he had nothing to do with the murder and should be left alone.
No defense
The verdict confirmed that the victim had little chance to defend himself against the gunfire. The shooter was not identified publicly, and the accused claimed self-defense, saying he had aimed at himself. The court noted no evidence that the accused carried a weapon at home, and another firearm was found in a nearby container. Investigations suggested that the weapon originated from the murdered woman’s car rather than the home. The accomplice allegedly closed the door to keep the victim from escaping, a point the Civil Guard referenced when describing the sequence of events. The woman involved was reportedly torn between the two men and could not mount a defense.
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