Spanish police have arrested a young Moroccan national in connection with the killing of Antonio Campos Reyes, a 54-year-old historian and civil servant from Berja whose body was discovered bound and showing signs of violence in the trunk of his car earlier this week.
According to OKdiario, Campos’ family last saw him on Sept. 27, at around 9:00 p.m., when he left home in Berja to travel to Granada for the Virgin of Angustias festivities. When he failed to arrive, relatives grew increasingly concerned and formally reported him missing to authorities on Sunday afternoon.
Local residents joined in the search efforts, but investigators ultimately located his white Volkswagen Passat in the San Agustín neighborhood of El Ejido, parked near a fruit and vegetable company. Breaking into the trunk, Civil Guard officers found Campos’ lifeless body. Knife wounds, bruises, and signs of struggle suggest that he had been tortured before being killed.
Diario de Almería reported that the violent nature of the crime, combined with Campos’ prominence as both a local official and a historian, caused “enormous social alarm” across the Poniente region. The victim was widely known in Berja not only for his public role but also for his contributions to the study and preservation of local history.
On Thursday afternoon, Almería Today confirmed that the Civil Guard had arrested a 23-year-old Moroccan man suspected of involvement in the killing. The detainee remains in custody, while investigators have not ruled out further arrests.
Diario de Almería added that the case is currently under a judicial gag order to protect the confidentiality of the proceedings. Authorities emphasized that this measure is essential to ensure the success of the ongoing investigation, which may reveal whether additional individuals were involved in the murder.
Vigils and tributes have already been held in Berja in Campos’ honor, with residents expressing grief and disbelief at the loss of a figure described as both dedicated to his town and passionate about its history.
No motive, nor previous connection between the victim and suspect has been revealed.
