The deaths of a 37-year-old woman and a man at a home in Cuenca have prompted an investigation into suspected gender-based violence, after the pair were discovered with signs of violence inside their property.
The bodies were found on Thursday evening, October 8, in a house on Calle Mayorazgo in Valverde de Júcar, a municipality in the Spanish province of Cuenca. The couple had two daughters, aged six and 14.
The circumstances surrounding the deaths remain under investigation, with authorities examining whether the incident was a case of violence against women.
Emergency services called to the property
The alarm was raised at around 7.30pm after a person contacted Castilla-La Mancha’s emergency services, 112, reporting that they could not gain access to a property where they knew two people were inside.
The Guardia Civil and firefighters from the Motilla del Palancar station were dispatched to the address. After entering the house, they discovered both bodies.
A doctor attended the scene and confirmed the deaths, while the emergency response also included the activation of a Red Cross psychosocial support team.
The woman was identified as being 37 years old. Authorities have not released the man’s age.
Investigators are working to establish exactly what happened inside the property and the circumstances that led to the deaths.
Possible case of gender-based violence
The deaths have raised concerns about a possible case of gender-based violence, with officials from the regional government expressing their shock at the news.
Castilla-La Mancha president Emiliano García-Page said he felt profound sadness and dismay over the incident. He added that, if it was confirmed to be another case of gender-based violence, he also felt anger and indignation.
He condemned violence against women and sent his condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones.
Regional equality minister Sara Simón also expressed her dismay, saying the circumstances appeared to point towards another suspected gender-based killing.
The Government Delegation against Gender Violence is gathering information about the case as authorities work to establish the full circumstances.
Woman was not registered with VioGén
One detail emerging from the investigation is that the woman was not registered with VioGén, Spain’s police monitoring and protection system for victims of gender-based violence.
However, her absence from the system does not establish what happened or determine the nature of the deaths. Investigators must establish the circumstances before the case can be formally classified.
The deaths have also left two young girls without their parents, aged six and 14. The activation of the Red Cross psychosocial team reflects the need for support following the discovery.
The Guardia Civil investigation remains ongoing, and the precise causes and circumstances of the deaths have yet to be fully established.
