After nearly two years of struggle and suffering, the Justicia para Álvaro platform has finally received justice. The jury unanimously declared the only accused in the murder of a young man on July 17, 2022 in Peal de Becerro, guilty of murder with treachery. This tragic event, where Álvaro, a security guard at a pub, was stabbed in the heart, led to unrest in the small municipality of Peal de Becerro, resulting in the departure of around thirty members of a gypsy family, from which the accused originated. The jury, composed of six men and three women, found the accused guilty of murder with treachery, considering the attack on Álvaro “unpredictable and without the ability to defend himself.”
Residents of Peal de Becerro gathered daily outside the Jaén Provincial Court during the trial against the two young men, aged 19 and 22, with banners demanding justice for Ávaro. While only one of the accused was charged with murder, both were on trial. The prosecution requested a 20-year prison sentence, the private prosecution raised it to 25 years, and the defense asked for a minimum of 15 years. Pending the sentencing, the prosecutor also asked for a ten-year ban on communication and approach to the deceased’s family and partner, as well as from residing in Peal de Becerro. Additionally, the accused would be required to participate in anti-violence training programs for five years after serving the sentence.
During the trial, the accused, who only answered his lawyer’s questions, claimed he was not involved in the events and did not see anything because he did not even enter the establishment. He denied being the author of the messages found on his phone, including one stating, “I killed the neighbor in the pub.” Other messages suggested fleeing to Seville to avoid being found. The prosecution’s account indicated the assault occurred around 3 am at a local entertainment venue when the deceased, as the pub’s doorman, asked one of the alleged attackers not to take glassware outside, leading to the fatal confrontation.
Following Álvaro’s death, the community experienced significant unrest the following day. After a peaceful protest, a group of residents vandalized five homes and three vehicles, and set fire to another house in the area where the gypsy families resided, forcing their hasty departure from Peal de Becerro. Most of these families relocated to nearby towns in the Sierra de Segura and Úbeda region. The TSJA’s Public Prosecutor’s Office initiated criminal proceedings due to potential hate crimes in response to these incidents, which some gypsy associations viewed as such.
The formal investigation did not progress far, similar to the legal path of complaints filed by gypsy associations against Peal de Becerro’s mayor, David Rodríguez, who they blamed for failing to calm the agitated residents. Rodríguez refrained from commenting but emphasized the peaceful nature of the municipality situated near the Cazorla, Segura, and Las Villas Natural Park. Meanwhile, Álvaro’s family expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support, acknowledging that justice had finally been served. They thanked Álvaro for giving them strength and wished him eternal peace, a sentiment echoed by the Justicia para Álvaro platform.
