A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for the murder of his business partner in a Sant Andreu de la Barca warehouse, a conviction secured despite the victim’s body never being located. The ruling from the Provincial Court of Barcelona brings a judicial conclusion to a grim case that began in May 2020.

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The court found the man guilty of homicide, handing down the maximum sentence after a jury unanimously returned a guilty verdict. This followed a previous Barna.News report on the initial conviction in the ‘no-body’ murder case. The crime stemmed from a dispute between the two men, who were partners in an illicit marijuana trafficking operation.

A Dispute Over Drugs and Debt

According to the court’s findings, the murder occurred between 29 and 30 May 2020. The motive was a financial debt and a disagreement over a staged robbery of a marijuana plantation they jointly managed. Prosecutors successfully argued that the convicted man killed his partner, dismembered his body inside their shared warehouse, and disposed of the remains to conceal the crime.

The absence of a body presented a significant challenge for investigators. However, the prosecution built a compelling case based on strong circumstantial evidence. The jury was convinced beyond a reasonable doubt of the accused’s responsibility. This marked a landmark decision in a case lacking the primary evidence of a victim’s remains.

The Sentence and Compensation

Beyond the 15-year prison term, the sentence includes severe restrictions. The convicted man is prohibited from communicating with the victim’s parents and siblings for 25 years. He is also subject to a 10-year restraining order, preventing him from coming within 1,000 metres of them upon his release.

The court also mandated significant financial compensation for the victim’s family, totalling over €700,000. This includes €216,000 for each of the victim’s parents and €138,000 for each of his two siblings. Issued by the Department of Justice of the Generalitat de Catalunya, the sentence reflects the crime’s severity and the family’s profound loss. They remain without their loved one’s remains.

Crime in Sant Andreu

The case has cast a spotlight on serious crime in Sant Andreu de la Barca, a municipality in the Baix Llobregat comarca, just outside Barcelona city. While a quiet town for many residents, it has been the location of several high-profile violent crimes in recent years.

Barna.News has previously reported on other homicides in Barcelona’s wider Sant Andreu district. These include a case where a man was jailed for murdering his stepfather and another tragic incident where a man died defending his partner from an attacker. This latest conviction in a case tied to organised crime adds another complex layer to the local security landscape.

Outlets including Diari Catalunya reported on the successful prosecution. It underscores the Spanish justice system’s ability, overseen by the General Council of the Judiciary, to secure convictions in even the most challenging circumstances. This offers a measure of justice for the victim’s family.