A Google Maps image showing a man possibly placing human remains into his car, along with suspicious text messages received by the victim’s cousin, have provided key clues in the investigation into the disappearance and death of a man in Soria, Andalucia.
National Police have arrested a woman and her ex-partner on suspicion of killing and dismembering her current partner, a Cuban man who had been missing for a year. The victim’s remains were discovered in a cemetery in the Andaluz area of Soria.
The case dates back to November 23, 2023, when the victim's cousin, living in Zaragoza, reported the disappearance of 33-year-old J.L.P.O., a resident of Soria. Although the two had lived in different locations, they maintained a close relationship with frequent communication, which made the cousin worried when he hadn't heard from J.L.P.O. in some time.
The cousin received a series of text messages from the missing man's phone, in which he allegedly claimed to have met a woman, was leaving Soria, and was disposing of his phone. The cousin, skeptical that the messages were genuinely from his relative, reported the situation to the National Police. This led to an investigation focusing on J.L.P.O.'s inner circle, eventually identifying the suspected perpetrators.
Among the evidence uncovered was a Google Maps image from a street in Tajueco, a town near Andaluz in Soria. The image, which was part of a recent update, showed a man — later identified as one of the suspects — placing a large bundle wrapped in a sheet into the trunk of his car. The bundle was suspected to contain human remains. Although the image was not conclusive, it became a crucial lead in the case, according to Inspector Óscar García of the National Police’s Specialised Crime and Violence Unit.
On November 12, officers conducted raids in Tajueco and Arcos de Jalón, leading to the arrests of the victim’s partner (the woman) and her former partner (the man), both of whom were accused of aggravated illegal detention for not explaining the victim's whereabouts. Searches of their homes and vehicles uncovered important evidence. Both suspects were subsequently remanded in custody.
With the suspects in jail and most of the evidence gathered, the investigation shifted to locating the missing man. This effort led to the discovery of a human torso, in an advanced state of decomposition, buried in the Andaluz cemetery. While the identity of the remains has not been definitively confirmed, they are believed to belong to the missing man.
The remains were exhumed on December 11 and transported to the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences in Soria. The operation, which involved forensic police teams from Soria and Castilla y León, as well as advanced technical units, successfully recovered part of the body. The investigation is ongoing, with efforts continuing to locate the rest of the victim’s remains and fully clarify the circumstances surrounding his death.