Authorities from the Civil Guard’s Murder Group detained a 20-year-old suspect, identified as Alex C., in connection with the death of Rafael Gausach, a 72-year-old man found dead in his Valencia area home. The case emerged five days after a violent incident previously reported by Levante-EMV, part of the Prensa Ibérica group.
Initial inquiries indicate that the alleged killer engaged in sexual activity with the victim and emerged as the principal suspect from the outset. The suspect, who has prior involvement in street-level altercations, was arrested in a nearby municipality where he resides with his victim. He is scheduled to appear before a court this Tuesday.
Levante-EMV reports that Valencia’s Homicide Division of the Civil Guard, which resolved the case in under 24 hours, led the investigation into Rafael Gausach’s death at his home in Albalat de la Ribera. The victim was found beaten and his body concealed inside a flower pot on the terrace of his residence, remaining undetected for about a week.
The body was discovered shortly before ten in the morning last Friday when a neighbor to the opposite apartment alerted the town hall about a strong odor emanating from Rafael’s flat, located on Carrer del Pont 13, where the victim lived alone on the first floor.
Firefighters were admitted by the Civil Guard officers after it was determined that Rafael held the keys to the apartment. Upon entering, investigators found a residence filled with clutter and signs of bloodstains in at least one room.
Terrace littered with debris
Hours later, after a thorough sweep of the home, investigators ascended to the inner courtyard terrace and discovered Rafael Gausach’s lifeless body. He was a figure well known and appreciated in the municipality.
Sources cited by Levante-EMV indicate the body was concealed inside a garden planter embedded in one of the terrace’s side walls, about three meters in length. In addition to the soil, the corpse was covered with a large amount of discarded items, including broken plastics, empty flower pots, and other debris. The concealment on the terrace meant the body remained unseen by other residents.
The body hidden under plastic sheeting and debris; the apartment door was not forced.
Prior conflicts
Given the circumstances and the clear signs of a violent death, investigators alerted the Sueca Forensic Police and confirmed the murder several hours after the incident. The case protocol was activated, with specialists from the Criminalistics Laboratory and the Valencia Homicide Unit joining the inquiry.
The exhumation of the body proved challenging due to advanced decomposition and the method of concealment. It did not occur until around 15:30 on the day of the investigation. The body was transported to the Valencia Forensic Institute (IML), where an autopsy began on Saturday and concluded on Monday under the orders of the Investigation Judge from Sueca. The forensic examination established that the death resulted from blunt-force injuries, and it also revealed pre-existing injuries and bruises, suggesting a potential prior conflict with the person currently in custody.
Surveillance of the suspect entering and leaving the residence
From the start, homicide investigators focused on Alex, especially after speaking with neighbors and others connected to Rafael. Rafael lived alone and had been hosting the young man for several months, with frequent tensions and arguing reported by acquaintances.