Spanish police investigating the murder of an 83-year-old woman who was robbed and killed a year ago have arrested a man in his 80s with whom she used to play bingo.
Officers began their inquiries on 22 May last year after the woman’s care worker became worried by her failure to answer calls.
Concerned neighbours entered her home in the town of Fuenlabrada, near Madrid, and called the police after finding her body, which bore stab wounds.
Police established that she had been killed the previous day, apparently after being robbed.
Between €7,000 and €8,000 (£6,170 to £7,055) in cash had been taken, as well as a large amount of jewellery. The fact that her front door had not been forced suggested she may have known her attacker.
“The investigation led to a man, also in his 80s, who was a friend of the victim and who used to play bingo with her in their neighbourhood,” the Policía Nacional said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Further inquiries allowed officers to determine that, in the days following the crime, the main suspect had gone to the same bingo hall with large quantities of money.”
Evidence from the crime scene led officers to the man and his home, the statement added.
“A search of the suspect’s home turned up various objects, among them two jewellery boxes that appear to have belonged to the victim. The man has appeared before a judge and is now in pre-trial detention.”
Neighbours said they remembered the woman fondly.
“She was really nice to everyone and she always used to call me a lot when she had problems with her plumbing,” one neighbour told TeleMadrid last year.
“She was a great fantastic and really humble person, but she was too trusting and used to leave the door of her house open when she went to take the rubbish out.”
