Trial of 'El Melillero' for Cártama acid attack on his ex-partner and her friend set for June

A date has been set for the trial of José Arcadio D. N., known as 'El Melillero', for an acid attack against his ex-partner and her friend, who were left with lifelong injuries.

The hearing is scheduled for June with dates reserved for the days between June 6-14, SUR has learned. The Prosecutor's Office is asking for 51 years and 6 months in prison for the alleged crimes.

In its brief, the Prosecutor considers that the accused committed up to five crimes, ranging from double attempted murder to membership of a criminal organisation, as well as harassment, habitual abuse and threats.

On 12 January in 2021 at about 2.10pm 'El Melillero' was driving a vehicle in which another of the defendants, J. J. G. R., also known as ‘Poti’, was a passenger.

Inside the car they carried a litre of sulphuric acid of 98 per cent purity; a substance that the latter then threw into the vehicle in which the two victims were traveling.

The Prosecutor reports that 'Poti' followed the order of his boss, throwing the acid through the driver's window, where the ex-partner of the main defendant was sitting.

That would have caused them "severe burns", having to get out of the closed car to avoid suffocation by acid, "while the defendant J.A.D.N. ('El Melillero') laughed and watched, making sure of the result he had pre-planned," the prosecutor said.

The Prosecutor's Office also lists in its brief another series of crimes, such as harassment, threats and mistreatment.

According to the file one day before the attack, the main accused met with the two victims, asking his ex-partner to roll down the window of the vehicle.

The latter got scared and refused, so 'El Melillero' allegedly frightened her by pointing to his friend with these words: "This one is going to take care of you, he is going to kill you", after which the defendant J.J.G. put his hand to his neck, "making the sign to slit it”, says the prosecutor.

According to the prosecutor, "with the aim of violating the privacy of his ex-partner and her friend", 'El Melillero' would have placed, without their consent and without their knowledge, two geolocation devices in the lower part of their respective vehicles "to control their movements".

According to the Public Prosecutor's Office, four others were involved with ‘El Melillero' and will be included in the trial.

They were investigated over links to a criminal organisation dedicated to drug trafficking and property crimes.

The Prosecutor's Office is also asking for 34 years of imprisonment for the other four defendants in the case.

It also requests they compensate the ex-partner of 'El Melillero' for injuries to the amount of 1,133,401.28 euros, and another 312,522.22 euros to her friend.