A high-profile trial has concluded in Madrid over a triple homicide that shocked the residents of Morata de Tajuña. The jury unanimously found a 45-year-old Pakistani citizen guilty of killing three elderly siblings from the Gutiérrez Ayuso family. The crime occurred in December 2023, but details only emerged a month later when the bodies were found at the site of a fire.
The investigation determined that the defendant acted deliberately and with intent. Despite his claims of mental health problems and auditory hallucinations, the psychiatric evaluation revealed only mild paranoid disorder, which did not prevent him from understanding the consequences of his actions. The court found no grounds for leniency, as he had meticulously planned the crime and even returned to the scene to destroy evidence.
The motive behind the tragedy was a long-standing financial dispute. The victims were drawn into a fraudulent scheme linked to a so-called ‘romance scam’ and owed the accused a substantial sum—60,000 euros. The situation worsened after the defendant’s mother died in Pakistan: his inability to send her money led to intense resentment and aggression toward the debtors.
The victims’ bodies were only discovered in January 2024, after concerned neighbors reported the elderly couple’s prolonged absence. At the scene, evidence of arson was found, and the deceased had been killed by blows to the head with a heavy object that was never recovered. After committing the crime, the accused voluntarily turned himself in to the police, but the jury concluded this was out of desperation rather than remorse.
The legal proceedings are not yet over: the accused faces another trial for the murder of a cellmate committed after his arrest. The prosecution is seeking a 36-year prison sentence, while the defense is pushing for 30 years. The final verdict is expected soon.
