Man who killed ex-partner in Figueres street had threatened her life while detained

The man accused of murdering 32-year-old Kimberly in Figueres on May 19 had threatened to kill her while in police custody, according to a police report. He allegedly made the threat to the officer guarding him before his release, a threat he carried out hours after leaving court.

Kimberly's alleged killer, 48, has a significant history of gender-based violence, with 26 arrests since 1998, many related to violence against women. He had multiple firm convictions. The police report indicated Kimberly was in a particularly vulnerable situation.

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when he regained his freedom, he would kill his partner.

The sequence of events began on May 17 when police arrested the man for mistreating and threatening Kimberly. The following day, he admitted the charges in a summary trial. A court issued a restraining order requested by Kimberly and sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for two years on the condition he did not re-offend.

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The Fiscalía, which in that moment was the only accusation, did not request any precautionary measure against the aggressor, such as provisional prison.

However, he attacked Kimberly again shortly after his release. He was arrested again for domestic violence and violating the restraining order. The case went before the Figueres court. Kimberly was summoned to testify and undergo a forensic examination the next day, but she did not appear. The prosecution did not request provisional detention, and the judge ultimately granted him provisional liberty.

Sources within the Girona Prosecutor's Office expressed dissatisfaction with the actions of the prosecutor and the judge, deeming the decision not to seek precautionary measures questionable. They noted that the victim's absence from the judicial declaration influenced the decision. Following the crime, the Prosecutor's Office announced a review of its protocols to enhance efforts in locating victims who fail to appear for judicial declarations and to understand the reasons for their absence.

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The Ministry Public maintains that the absence of the victim in the judicial declaration was one of the elements that influenced the decision.