María, a 29-year-old woman from Antequera, was murdered by her ex-partner, who then committed suicide. The Town Hall has declared two days of mourning and called for a gathering this Wednesday.
The Málaga town of Antequera woke up on Tuesday in shock after the confirmation of María's murder, a 29-year-old neighbour, at the hands of her ex-partner. The man, after committing the crime, took his own life by jumping from the city's fortress, according to investigation sources. The victim's body showed a cut on the neck and was found in her home.
María had previously reported her attacker and was registered in the VioGén system, although at the time of the crime the case was inactive, with no protective measures in place. The woman leaves behind two orphaned children, aged 4 and 7, as confirmed by the Town Hall.
The mayor of Antequera, Manuel Jesús Barón, issued a statement expressing “the strongest condemnation of this crime” and extending “condolences, love, and solidarity to the family, friends, and loved ones of the victim.” “Today Antequera mourns, but also raises its voice to say, firmly and unambiguously, that there is no place for macho violence in our society,” he declared.
The Town Hall has declared two days of official mourning and has called for a gathering this Wednesday at 12:00 in San Sebastián square as a sign of rejection. Social media has been filled with messages of condolence and dismay.
A relative of María wrote on social media: “Today, pain has a name: María. A woman full of life, with dreams, with a family that loved her and is now shattered. María leaves behind children who will have to learn to live with an absence that is impossible to understand.”
María's murder adds to a wave of feminist killings in Spain. The Prime Minister, Pedro Sánchez, has expressed his solidarity with the victims and described the situation as an “unbearable tragedy.” “We cannot normalise or accept this violence,” he stated in a social media message, reminding that the phone number 016 is available for victims and witnesses.
The President of the Junta de Andalucía, Juanma Moreno, also condemned the crime: “Macho violence continues to cause a painful rift in society. We firmly condemn María's murder.” He urged people to call 016 or 900 200 999 at any signs of trouble.
On the same day, another possible feminist murder is being investigated in Benahavís, also in the province of Málaga, where a 45-year-old woman was found dead with a cut on her neck. The Civil Guard is searching for the attacker. Additionally, in Alameda de la Sagra (Toledo), a man was arrested after allegedly murdering his partner with a knife.
The Ministry of Equality has confirmed María's murder as gender-based violence. So far this year, Andalucía has recorded ten fatalities due to this cause, six of them in the province of Málaga alone in June and July.
Antequera, a municipality of about 40,000 inhabitants, has shown an outpouring of grief. The Town Hall has made psychological support services available to the family. The gathering this Wednesday is expected to be massive, as an expression of rejection of macho violence.
