The investigation into what occurred at the Porreres finca last Saturday when Pau R., the owner, shot a robber, Mauricio E. B., is casting doubt on whether Pau R. acted in self-defence.
The Guardia Civil criminal police have established that the 77-year-old had three loaded hunting shotguns hidden behind a door. From statements given by Mauricio's brother, Freddy, and to some extent by Pau's wife Apol-lonia, the implication is that Pau shot Mauricio, who was unarmed, at point-blank range.
The police, it is understood, consider Freddy's testimony to be convincing. He said that he and Mauricio went to the finca and intimidated the couple. But according to Freddy, they were unarmed. There have of course been reports of Pau having feared that he was going to be attacked with a crow bar.
The couple, explained Freddy, agreed to cooperate. While Mauricio stayed with Apol-lonia in a room, Freddy accompanied Pau to a lower floor of the building in order to open the safe and take the money, which was mainly coins. It would seem that the weight of the coins caused a backpack to split. Freddy and Pau went upstairs, and Freddy asked his brother to help him with the money. Pau remained upstairs. As the brothers were climbing the stairs, they saw Pau with a shotgun. He was pointing it straight at them, shouted "I'll kill you" and then shot Mauricio at point-blank range.
Freddy maintained that he grabbed the gun with one hand and punched Pau in the face with the other. Apol-lonia said that she heard a shot and her husband shouting in pain, left the room where she was and saw that Pau's face was covered in blood.
The family of the brothers is said to be seeking a murder charge against Pau. Meanwhile, it has emerged that Pau phoned the 112 emergency services number three times. Transcripts of the calls reveal that he said that the couple were being robbed and attacked. There was no mention of his having shot anyone.
The criminal police investigators have described the plan to rob the couple as lacking sense, chaotic and disastrous. Sources suggest that Jose Antonio S.L., nicknamed Pep Merda, who police believe was behind the robbery (something confirmed by Marcos R.), has an intellectual level that is "below zero", and that the plan was a reflection of this. Investigators also believe that the Colombian brothers rejected being armed, or at least appearing to be armed, because the owners of the property were of advanced age.