A woman and a man have been jailed after a brutal assault on a landlord in Torelló. The pair initially blamed masked intruders, but police uncovered inconsistencies. The victim remains in critical condition in Barcelona.
A court in Vic has ordered the provisional imprisonment of a woman and a man accused of carrying out a violent assault on the owner of a house in Torelló (Osona). The incident, which took place in the early hours of August 10 on Espadamala street, left the landlord hospitalized in Barcelona with life-threatening injuries. The case quickly drew attention due to the severity of the attack and the initial attempt by the suspects to mislead investigators.
According to the investigation, the woman, who was renting the upper floor of the two-storey house, called emergency services after the assault. When police and medical teams arrived, they found the main door’s glass shattered and the landlord, a long-time resident of the Monserrat neighborhood, severely injured. He was first taken to the Hospital de Vic, but his condition required urgent transfer to Vall d’Hebrón in Barcelona.
Both the tenant and a man connected to the property—who either lived or had lived there—told police that masked intruders had broken in and committed the assault. However, officers from the Vic Investigation Unit quickly noticed contradictions in their statements and found evidence that did not support the robbery scenario. The investigation shifted focus, and the two witnesses soon became the main suspects.
Police detained the man, aged 46, on August 11, and the woman, aged 50, the following day. On August 14, both appeared before the court, which ordered their provisional detention without bail. The charges include attempted murder, simulation of a crime, and intentional bodily harm. Investigators believe the motive was the woman’s fear of eviction, as the landlord had reportedly expressed intentions to sell the property and move out.
The case highlights the challenges authorities face when suspects attempt to mislead investigations by staging crime scenes or providing false testimony. According to available data, Spanish law treats simulation of a crime and false statements as serious offenses, especially when they hinder the course of justice. In recent years, courts have increasingly imposed pre-trial detention in cases involving severe violence or risk of flight. The incident in Torelló also underscores ongoing tensions in the rental housing sector, where disputes between landlords and tenants can escalate, particularly in regions with high housing demand. The victim’s condition remains critical, and the legal process is ongoing as authorities continue to gather evidence and clarify the circumstances of the attack.
