The plot thickens in Valencia as investigators pursue new leads in the murder of the Canon Emeritus at Valencia Cathedral, Alfonso López Benito. The main suspect remains in custody under court order since last Saturday, while the National Police continues their work. A key question concerns the appearance of a young man seen spending time with the priest in the hours before his death. He travelled from a city nearly 700 kilometers away and stayed at López Benito’s home for several days. The interaction has become a focal point of the inquiry, including questions about any sexual relations that may have occurred.
Forensic medicine has not yet pinpointed the exact time of the priest’s death. The forensic team has not narrowed the timeframe enough to determine precisely when the drowning occurred, leaving investigators with an interval rather than a moment of death.
Missed canon mass and procession
Researchers are piecing together the sequence of events. The crime timeline remains under review, with more precise data anticipated between 12:30 on Sunday, January 21, and the same time on Monday, January 22, Saint Vincent’s Day. It is believed the events may have unfolded earlier, as López Benito missed the canonical service at the cathedral on that day. The service is traditionally held at 9:30 in the morning, and the Sant Vicent procession is scheduled for eleven.
To date, investigators have located the victim’s cell phone in the possession of the detainee, showing messages sent by the suspect during the days after the death. Bank cards used to withdraw funds and make purchases totaling 2,327 euros were found at relatives’ home, with activity spanning the days leading up to the discovery of the crime.
Caught at the bus stop
Complications for the defense continue as the suspect is not the only person connected to the Canon Emeritus that Sunday. The presence of another individual in a flat owned by López Benito, where the priest had lived since 2017, is under investigation. It has been established that this other person, a 34-year-old with an intellectual disability rated at 43 percent, had approached López Benito at a bus stop several months ago and subsequently spent time with him in Valencia. Police statements describe a pattern in which vulnerable individuals were drawn into risky situations or financial trouble, raising concerns about exploitation.
Witnesses indicate the 34-year-old engaged in contact with López Benito while outside the home, including meetings that involved sharing meals and time in the city. The relationship reportedly included visits to the priest’s residence and periods of companionship during which the two were together in the same space.
He offered to pay for the ticket
One witness reports that a stranger described as a man in his sixties invited the youth for coffee and asked for contact details. In December, a message arrived asking to connect, but the phone was not registered at that time. In January, a second message arrived congratulating the man on his sainthood and suggesting a visit. When the young man explained he had no funds, the stranger offered to cover travel costs and provided a place to stay.
The 34-year-old told his ex-wife that López Benito had accused him of childish behavior
The ex-wife recalls that the conversation raised suspicion. The young man, unable to be dissuaded, agreed to the trip and accepted the offer to pay for his bus ticket to Valencia, with the warning to be careful.
Two postal money orders of 20 and 30 euros
The Canon sent two urgent money orders to the young man from the central offices: 20 euros on January 16 and 30 euros the following day. He arrived in Valencia early on Friday, January 19, after a long journey. He was intercepted by López Benito at a bus stop and reportedly became connected to the priest in supporting moments. A Romanian national associated with the case was noted as accompanying him during challenging times and participating in several meetings with López Benito in and around the priest’s home.
The 34-year-old described the arrangement as functional, and investigators learned he spent two days and three nights in the priest’s company, though he did not specify whether they discussed the priest’s duties.
There was only one alleged sexual encounter
The witness details a pattern: after coffee, the trio drove to López Benito’s home. The young man was deemed low risk by the priest’s assistant, who then left them alone. The days together involved the priest performing daily Mass at San Pascual Baylón Parish, followed by time in the home where food was shared. The meals included seafood rice on the first day and black rice on the second. They did not leave the apartment on the second day, and no offers were reported that day. Night fell and they shared López Benito’s bed, with the guest staying in the same room.
On subsequent days, López Benito went about his routine, wandering the city and preparing for church duties, while the guest remained in the residence. The witness notes the arrangement was unusual and expressed ongoing concern about the guest staying in the home with a man who was a public figure and a religious leader.
A confusing visit pattern
In the evenings, the pattern repeated. The witness states that López Benito did not offer money for intimate advances, but sexual advances were reportedly made. The two later woke and left the apartment on Sunday morning, with López Benito heading toward the cathedral. The guest, carrying a suitcase, did not return to the flat. Between 10:30 on Sunday morning and the police statement on the 26th, the young man remained with López Benito’s ex-wife elsewhere and did not return to the residence.