Gata de Gorgos woke to a shocking event on Saturday afternoon as David Lledó, aged 39, was killed in a brutal baseball bat assault. Family and friends, who were awaiting the autopsy to arrange the wake, were left stunned by a crime no one anticipated.
Sources close to the deceased say he was sketching designs for a friend in his tattoo studio when he decided to step out to a bar briefly to buy a bottle of water.
His friend heard shouts from the street and moved up to Les Moreres street, where he saw two men, described as of Moroccan origin, striking David with severe force. His partner said, “They killed a good person after showing such cruelty because action wasn’t taken sooner.”
In the town of Gata, the suspects are being connected to other past incidents in the area. According to his partner, just a few days earlier David reportedly witnessed the same individuals harassing a young woman and stepping in to intervene, which helped her escape. “He told them to leave her alone, and then they left,” Maria shared. She herself recently endured a violent incident while training at a field when a drunk man forced her into his car; she managed to break free and contact the police. The personal trainer and cancer activist believes the same man may be involved in David’s death. “I am heartbroken, the pain is unbearable. They have taken my partner and part of my life,” she said.
Maria publicly expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support for David. “Words cannot measure the love we feel; he would often say our favorite phrase: ‘The beginning doesn’t matter, it’s the end that counts,’ and by his side, everything was wonderful from start to finish. I have known generosity, courage, and the most handsome man my eyes have ever seen,” she wrote on social media.
The Civil Guard quickly detained two of the assault’s suspects, including a 35-year-old believed to be the principal author, who struck the neighborhood resident with a baseball bat. A third man was arrested yesterday in connection with the same events, as confirmed by the authorities, who continue to investigate the case.
Nobody should ever have to experience this
Authorities and local police maintain that the incident is isolated and should not disrupt the town’s sense of community. Following the crime, Mohamed El Abdellaoui-Merouni, the head of the Gata de Gorgos Community Islamic Association, met with the mayor, the safety councilor, and the local police chief to offer full cooperation and support, according to Alfons Padilla.
“The Muslim community condemns this terrible event. We share the pain of the town,” he told this newspaper. He also convened a mosque gathering with community members to express their strong repudiation. “This should never have happened. We are sad and outraged. We stand with the family, friends, and the entire town and extend our condolences,” he commented. Along with other community members, he highlighted that Gata has long been a model of coexistence and integration. “We are committed to keeping it that way. We reject violence in all its forms,” he added.