The investigation into Francisco José Agüera’s disappearance in Coín, Málaga, took a sharp turn after a 65-year-old man reportedly confessed to killing and dismembering him. Agüera vanished during the 2020 lockdown, but his absence went unexplained for years amid scant evidence and his unconventional lifestyle. Police resumed their efforts in 2025, after a human skull was found in a plastic bag near the Pinos de Alhaurín urbanization.
Forensic analysis initially misidentified the remains as female, holding up the investigation. Advanced genetic testing identified the skull as Agüera’s in early 2026. The result gave the Guardia Civil’s homicide unit a focus despite the time that had passed since the crime. Interviews with friends and family narrowed the list of suspects, eventually pointing to a close acquaintance whose sister lived near where the skull was found.
At first, the suspect denied any involvement. He cited crime series such as CSI and Dexter, saying investigators would find no evidence. Further technological surveillance and mounting evidence preceded his confession. He said the killing followed a fight over suspected theft, an account investigators have treated cautiously. Before dismembering the body over several days, he covered surfaces in his home with plastic. He then sealed each part in several layers of bags, together with the latex gloves he had worn.
The remains were scattered across several locations in Alhaurín de la Torre. The suspect also lined his car’s interior with plastic to avoid leaving biological traces. Despite extensive forensic searches, including searches with specialized dogs, most of Agüera’s remains have not been recovered. After his detention, the suspect guided police to several sites, including a small cave and an area where the torso was found. New construction has since made some locations inaccessible.
On 28 July 2026, El Periódico de Aragón reported that human remains had been found on an access road to a quarry in Alhaurín de la Torre and that one person had been detained in connection with the discovery. The report described a Guardia Civil investigation into the find. The reported detention is a procedural development, not a judicial finding of guilt.
The case shows the challenges of investigating disappearances years after the fact, particularly when evidence is scarce. The reported use of television crime series as inspiration for concealment methods adds an unusual element to the investigation. For more context on a related confession and discovery of remains in Alhaurín de la Torre, see this detailed coverage of the earlier breakthrough.
Advances in forensic science, especially DNA analysis, can help investigators revisit unresolved cases. The Agüera investigation shows the value of persistent police work, while delayed reporting and missing evidence have complicated the search. The search for the rest of his remains continues, though new construction has made some locations inaccessible.
