An 18-year-old Moroccan national has been arrested over the killing of a 75-year-old woman who was allegedly beaten and slashed to death while walking her dog near a small town in Catalonia.
The suspect was detained on Monday in Soses, in the province of Lleida, the Mossos d’Esquadra confirmed. Police have publicly disclosed only his age, but Spanish crime outlet El Caso reported that he is a foreign national originally from Morocco.
The victim, identified as Dolors Agustí, left her home at around 7:45 p.m. Saturday to walk her dog on the outskirts of the town.
When the animal returned alone several hours later, her relatives and neighbors became alarmed and launched a search.
Her body was discovered late that night in a cornfield approximately 200 meters from the center of Soses, according to La Vanguardia. She had suffered extensive bruising and cuts apparently caused by a blunt or sharp object.
El País reported that investigators believe the attacker used a glass bottle, inflicting severe cuts and other injuries.
A broken bottle was recovered from the scene, and Agustí suffered several wounds, including a fatal cut to the neck. Her body appeared to have been moved and concealed in the cornfield.
A homicide investigation was launched, and the Moroccan teenager was arrested two days later.
The suspect had reportedly previously worked for a prominent fruit company in Soses but had been dismissed several days before the killing. Police have not confirmed that detail or disclosed whether he has a criminal record.
The town council declared three days of official mourning and held a minute of silence attended by residents from Soses and surrounding communities.
