Murcia observes a minute of silence for the murdered woman while it is investigated whether her protection measures against gender violence failed

The escape of the alleged perpetrator of the sexist crime in Murcia ended a few hours after the murder. The Civil Guard arrested him at 00:15 this Thursday in a service area of Puerto Lumbreras, when he was about to travel by bus to Granada to leave the Region.

The 38-year-old man had reportedly admitted what happened to several relatives and a co-worker before being located. The joint operation of the Civil Guard and the National Police allowed his arrest after the duty judge ordered his search as the alleged perpetrator of the crimes of homicide and breach of sentence.

His 44-year-old ex-partner was found dead on Wednesday afternoon in the back room of an establishment in the Carrefour Infante shopping center in Murcia. A worker found the body and notified emergency services, who could only confirm her death. The investigation suggests she was murdered with a bladed weapon.

The Government delegate in the Region of Murcia, Francisco Lucas, explained that the victim went to the detainee's workplace for reasons that still need to be clarified. The proceedings will also have to reconstruct their last movements and determine how the encounter could have occurred despite the current judicial measures.

Convicted in April and with a restraining order

The detainee had been convicted on April 15 for a crime of domestic abuse committed against the victim. The sentence prohibited him from approaching within 500 meters of her, her home, her work, or any place where she was found. He also could not communicate with his ex-partner for 16 months.

The resolution also included 40 days of community service, 16 months without the right to possess or carry weapons, and compensation of 310 euros. The crime occurred less than four months after that conviction.

The woman was listed in the VioGén System and her case was being monitored by the Local Police of Murcia. There was no telematic location device linked to the restraining order, as confirmed by the Government delegate.

"The investigation is underway to determine if something has failed," Lucas said after the minute of silence held in front of the Delegation's headquarters. He also thanked the police coordination that allowed the detainee to be located the same night. The investigation remains open to review protection measures and the circumstances of the crime.

The duty judge initially attributed the guardianship of the ex-couple's minor daughter to the public child protection entity of the Region of Murcia. The girl remains with her grandmother and has police protection. The Autonomous Community plans to definitively hand over guardianship to the family member, according to information provided this Thursday by the National Police.

The Murcian president, Fernando López Miras, led another minute of silence at 11:00 a.m. with the members of the Governing Council in the Palacio de San Esteban. "Against this scourge, zero tolerance. Rest in peace," he wrote afterwards.

The murder in Murcia occurred just hours after the gender violence crime in Llanes, where a 50-year-old civil guard was allegedly murdered by her ex-partner, also a member of the force. Equality has confirmed both cases and raises the number of women murdered due to gender violence to 35 during 2026 and to 1,376 since 2003. This year, 26 minors have been orphaned by this violence.

Pedro Sánchez has also extended his condolences to the families and friends of the two women. "Against sexist terror, there can only be more commitment, more equality, and more firmness," the President of the Government stated before demanding an end "once and for all to the senselessness of violence against women."

Victims of gender violence and their environment can request help 24 hours a day through the 016 phone number, the email 016-online@igualdad.gob.es, WhatsApp 600 000 016, and the chat of the Government Delegation against Gender Violence. In an emergency, 112, the National Police at 091, and the Civil Guard at 062 are available. The AlertCops application allows sending a geolocated alert when it is impossible to make a call.