Police rushed to an estate in the Malaga town of Benalmadena on Friday night when the woman, 69, also British, called frantically to say her partner had stabbed her four times – before the phone line suddenly went dead. Spanish officers arrived at the apartment, in the Maite-1 building on Antonio Machado Avenue, to discover her dead on the kitchen floor with more than 20 stab wounds, believed to have been caused by a kitchen knife, while her suspected killer was lying. their bed. The husband, who has not yet been named, was questioned in the living room of the £130,000 home before being arrested. He is now being held at the local police station. Neighbors today recalled the dramatic moment police arrived at the scene as they tried in vain to kick down the front door. Officers eventually entered through a fire escape and the apartment’s first-floor terrace, which overlooks the idyllic beach a few meters away. The victim, who has not yet been identified, is said to have reported her husband to police for domestic violence on three previous occasions. According to DiarioSur, he filed an official complaint, known as a “denuncia,” earlier this year. However, she did not follow this up with the judicial authorities, which is tantamount to laying charges, which could lead to her seeking police protection. Police arrived at the apartment, in the Maite-1 building (pictured) on Antonio Machado Avenue, to discover the woman dead in the kitchen-dining room with more than 20 stab wounds, while her suspected killer was lying on their bed. Police rushed to a property in the Malaga city of Benalmadena on Friday night after the woman, also British, called emergency services to say her husband had assaulted her (Image: Police sealed off the door of the house) The 80-year-old, who has not yet been named, was questioned in the lounge before being arrested. He is now being held at the local police station (Image: Block entrance) Neighbors today recalled the dramatic moment police arrived at the scene as they tried in vain to kick down the front door before entering through a back entrance The front door of the couple’s one-bed flat was sealed off with police tape on Saturday, with a warning sign saying ‘do not enter’. The door frame was badly damaged in a clear sign that officers responding to the emergency call had attempted to force entry. A neighbor of the couple at the 12-storey 1970s block of flats, which overlooks Benalmadena’s promenade, confirmed that police had made an unsuccessful attempt to break down the door before gaining access through another entrance at the back. He added: “They have lived here for centuries, probably about 30 years. “I’ve heard they were both heavy drinkers and the police had been in the past to deal with what I assume were domestic disputes. “A lot of foreigners live on this block and I know they were helping newcomers find their feet here. “I’ve never seen younger people visit and they were relatives and they told me they had already decided to donate their apartment to an animal shelter when they died.” The front door of the couple’s first-floor one-bed flat was sealed off with police tape on Saturday, with a warning sign reading ‘Do not enter’. A neighbor of the couple at the 12-storey 1970s block of flats, which overlooks Benalmadena’s seafront, confirmed that police had made an unsuccessful attempt to break down the door before gaining access through another entrance at the back Another neighbor said: “I didn’t hear any shouting or fighting before the police arrived. “They tried to break down the door but couldn’t get through and ended up going in through an entrance around the back. “It’s so horrible that it ended this way.” The alarm was first raised at around 10.30pm on Friday when the victim called police, saying she had been stabbed multiple times before the phone went dead. A well-placed source said: “She said she had been stabbed by her husband and police were called along with other emergency responders but she was found dead inside the property when they arrived. “He had been stabbed multiple times, apparently more than 20 times.” Another said the suspect was believed to be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, although there has been no official confirmation yet. He is expected to appear in court in the next 48 hours so he can be examined again by a judge in camera. Police rushed to an estate in the Malaga town of Benalmadena (pictured) on Friday night after the woman, also British, called emergency services to say her husband had assaulted her. The judge will have to decide whether to remand him pending the ongoing investigation or send him to a secure psychiatric facility if he is confirmed to be suffering from a mental or brain disorder. There has been no official comment from the police on the incident yet. A spokesman for the National Police in Malaga said on Saturday: “Yesterday around 10.30pm, an 80-year-old man allegedly killed his 69-year-old wife. “The victim suffered multiple stab wounds with a gun blade. The suspected killer was arrested. “He appears to have a psychological illness with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.” He added: “In recent months the suspected killer had been arrested three times for domestic violence. “According to police reports he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. “His wife decided not to validate her complaints in court and the cases were filed. “He never asked for protective measures.” Confirming that the suspect did not resist arrest, the police spokesman said: “The victim, a 69-year-old woman called for help. “Having found it impossible to enter the property, officers sought assistance from the fire brigade who were also unable to enter through the front door and were able to gain access to the property via the porch and a fire hydrant.”
