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An 80-year-old British man has been arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife after a 69-year-old woman was found dead at his home in the Spanish resort of Costa del Sol, according to reports. Local media cite investigators as saying the woman, also British, was stabbed more than 20 times at a property on Avenue Antonio Machado in the beach town of Benalmadena. National Police arrested the man on Friday night after finding him still at the property with the body, reports said. He was said to be suffering from Alzheimer’s after being diagnosed earlier this year. Regional newspaper Diario Sur reported that police recounted the alleged sequence of events. The report said at around 10.30pm the woman called emergency services claiming she had been stabbed four times by her husband. The call was dropped. When the police arrived they found the victim lying on the living room floor, very close to the door of the house. Doctors were unable to save her, he said. The man was found lying in the bedroom and was arrested with little resistance, he said. A spokesman for the National Police in Malaga said on Saturday: “Yesterday at 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.” The report went on to say that emergency responders had to gain access to the home through a fire escape after they were unable to break down the door. Police have launched an investigation into the attack. The man remains in custody. Reports from neighbors said the married couple had lived in Spain for about 30 years and were known to locals, although they did not speak Spanish fluently. The regional newspaper said the husband and wife were helping other recently arrived British foreigners settle in the city and decided to donate their flat to an animal shelter in the future. The Independent has approached Abroad for comment.
