The man who killed his girlfriend in Son Servera in March 2016 has admitted in court that he suffocated her with the intention of killing her and then left her on the bed, as though she was asleep. He has accepted an 18-year sentence and apologised to the victim's family.
Carlos Villegas was 22 at the time. The girl, Victoria Sard, was nineteen. The jury heard that, some hours after killing her, he went to the Guardia Civil in Arta. The officer who dealt with him explained that he was very agitated and that his statement was imprecise.
Another officer explained that the girl's mother and uncle had asked her on several occasions to break off the relationship. They were aware that Villegas had a history of abuse.
It was said that he exercised absolute control over Victoria. She was frightened by him and was mistreated in an habitual manner. On several occasions she had to go to the emergency services. In September 2014, he was in fact convicted of having assaulted her.
A forensics expert who attended the scene of the crime said that the property was disorderly but showed no signs of any violence until the victim was found. She was lying with a blanket over her. There were the first indications of rigor mortis and she had marks consistent with having been choked or suffocated.
Examination revealed that she had bruises on her arms, where she had been held tightly, and that she had suffered pressure to the mouth. The conclusion was that, following an argument, he had intended to kill her by grabbing her tightly and covering her mouth and nose in exerting great pressure to prevent her from breathing.
The 18-year sentence consists of fifteen years for murder and three for mistreatment. Villegas has also been ordered to pay 200,000 euros compensation to the parents of the victim. The sentence is higher than the prosecution had demanded (14 years and 100,000 euros) but lower than the 30 years that had been called for in the personal action on behalf of the family.