The man detained in connection with the disappearance of Vicente Sánchez, the 79-year-old who has been missing for more than a month, is the sheriff of the Hinojal City Hall. According to statements released by the Civil Guard on Thursday, agents from the Organic Unit of Judicial Police detained a man suspected of involvement in the case. Vicente had recently won a million euros in the lottery.
Neighbors in Hinojal reported that the detainee, identified by the initials J.M.L, participated in the large-scale hunts organized by the Civil Guard. In one of these operations, the officers questioned him about his connection to Vicente, and he spoke with apparent calm. He said, “He used to take him to Talaván to buy lottery tickets and to attend bullfights, because they both enjoyed them a lot. Vicente offered to pay for the diesel and the tickets for the festivities, and J.M.L. gladly drove him there,” according to Pepi Durán, a neighbor.
The arrest occurred around 8:00 a.m. on Thursday at the street La Cruz residence, a family home where his brother also lives. A search was carried out on V Centenario street, where another brother resides. The Judicial Police of the Civil Guard also attended the home where his partner lives, in Cáceres.
Up to now, the on-site investigation had focused on the surroundings of the Cáceres town, with as many as four ground, river, and air searches conducted. Buzos even explored portions of the Tagus River basin. The new development is that the search radius has expanded to the capital city, extending the area under scrutiny.
This ongoing operation, still not concluded, marks a significant step in locating the neighbor after a month with few updates beyond the fieldwork conducted by the officers. Vicente’s sister filed the formal complaint at the start of February after his absence raised concerns among residents. A notable point is that the missing man had previously been lucky in the lottery, a detail he apparently referenced to neighbors repeatedly.
In terms of Vicente’s profile, those who knew him described him as a private man who valued his personal space and sometimes exhibited a cautious demeanor. He lived alone in the home inherited from his parents and followed strict daily routines, from the bakery to the local bar. It was also noted that he often visited nearby towns such as Talaván or Cáceres due to his fondness for the lottery. He typically traveled with friends, neighbors, or on the bus since he did not drive, and always returned home the same day.
While all hypotheses remain under consideration, Vicente’s family has long maintained that his disappearance was not voluntary and was likely motivated by financial reasons. On the day he disappeared, a funds withdrawal occurred at a local ATM, and his mobile phone and an unmade bed were found inside the neighbor’s home.
– End of report regarding the ongoing case, which continues to draw attention from the local community and authorities tasked with resolving this puzzling disappearance. –
Who was Vicente?
Those who knew him describe Vicente as a reserved individual who guarded his privacy and could be a bit anxious in new situations. He lived alone in a house he inherited and followed a routine that left little room for spontaneity: bakery in the morning, a stop at the bar, and back home. He was known to travel to nearby towns for lotteries and social visits, always accompanied by a neighbor, friend, or a bus ride, never driving himself. He returned home each night and kept his private life distinctly separate from his public one. –