Torremolinos murder trial outcome: jury finds Romeo guilty of murder and abuse
The court rejected the defendant's claim that Paula's death was accidental, determining that it was premeditated
The verdict has been reached in the murder of Paula, the young woman who was killed at home in La Carihuela (Torremolinos) as she was about to leave for work.
The jury unanimously found Marco Romeo, her ex-partner and father of her youngest child, guilty of her murder and of physically and psychologically abusing her.
He "maintained a controlling, dominant position over her, preventing her from freely contacting other people, controlling her bank accounts, from wearing make-up and even from working unless she did so in a way that he could still control her. Sometimes, he even hit her."
Thus, the court dismissed the defendant's claim that Paula's death was accidental and something that occurred during a struggle between the two. Based on the reports and testimonies of forensic experts, Paula suffered 16 stab wounds, making it "highly improbable" that she stabbed herself with the knife.
After hours of deliberation, held incommunicado in a hotel, the jurors did not find it proven that Marco had stolen a 31.5-centimetre-long kitchen knife from the bar where he worked a week before the incident.
However, they concluded that premeditation was evident as, the afternoon before the crime, the defendant had questioned several taxi drivers to find out where the victim had been taken. He then waited for Paula at her home until she returned early the next morning, despite having called her to tell her he had left the apartment to give her a false sense of security.
The court also concluded that Marco had consumed narcotic substances, but that they had not impaired his faculties or judgement. It was further noted that, at no time during the trial, had he admitted to committing the crimes of which he was accused.
The public prosecutor's office and the private prosecution - represented by Guillermo Smerdou on behalf of Paula's family - requested that the judge impose the maximum sentences for both crimes, citing the aggravating circumstances of premeditation, kinship and gender, which would raise his max prison sentence from 25 to 28 years. As for civil liability, they are requesting that the accused pay nearly 700,000 euros in compensation.
"We were able to speak for her and state that he murdered her, he searched for her and he didn't stop until he'd killed her."
Paula's siblings, Pepe and Fátima, expressed their relief after hearing the verdict: "It has finally been proven that Paula was a victim of that man and that she'd tried to escape from him. The matter has finally been resolved and we're very happy." While this outcome does not bring back their sister, they acknowledged that "it helps". "We were able to speak for her and state that he murdered her, he searched for her and he didn't stop until he'd killed her."
