The popular jury has unanimously found guilty of murder and arson the woman accused of setting a deadly fire in a house in ses Païsses (Ibiza) in August 2023. The fire caused the death of a 77-year-old man, totally incapacitated, who was trapped in his bed while his wife managed to escape. The accused could be sentenced to revisable permanent imprisonment, the highest penalty contemplated in the Spanish Penal Code.
After several days of deliberation since last Tuesday, the nine members of the jury concluded that there is sufficient evidence to hold the defendant responsible for the arson that killed the elderly man. According to the verdict, the woman acted consciously and with clear intent to cause the man’s death.
A fire in the middle of the night
The events occurred in the early hours of August 3, 2023, when the house where the couple was sleeping was engulfed in flames. The woman was able to get out on her own feet, but the man, who was severely disabled and unable to move, died of asphyxiation.
The prosecution argues that the accused – partner of the victim’s son – set fire to the house motivated by economic interests, requesting for her the penalty of permanent revisable imprisonment. According to their thesis, the suspect went to the house that night and deliberately set the fire.
The defense spoke of “unfair accusation”.
The defense of the accused asked for her acquittal and insisted that the whole case was based on “unfounded suspicions” of one of the daughters of the deceased. The defendant repeatedly denied having been at the scene and denied any involvement in the fire. She did acknowledge, however, that she left her house that night at 01.05 hours, as captured by the security cameras, although she assured that she did not go to the victim’s home.
Pending judgment
The jury, on the other hand, considered, by six votes in favor and three against, that the defendant was suffering from a disorder at the time of the facts that, although it affected her understanding of the facts, did not completely nullify it.
With two votes in favor and seven against, the jury opposes the pardon and by five in favor and four against, that the possibility of a suspended sentence be studied.
The prosecutor and the private prosecution have maintained the request for revisable permanent imprisonment, while the defense has already advanced that it will present an appeal and has shown in any case its opposition to this penalty or that, if necessary, an alternative to imprisonment will be chosen.
After the jury’s verdict, the Provincial Court will issue the final sentence in the coming days, which will probably include the prosecutor’s request for revisable life imprisonment.
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A popular jury tries a woman for killing an elderly man by setting fire to his house in Ibiza
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From “perverse plan” to “no evidence”: trial begins against woman accused of setting a deadly fire in Ibiza
