Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)A GYPSY boss and well-known businessman has been shot dead in Ronda.
Jose Munoz, 55, head of the Malaga brotherhood of Gitanos, was shot twice inside his car by a fellow gypsy.
The suspect, D.R.F, 18, from Almeria, was later arrested by police at a roadblock in Algodonales, Cadiz province, as he tried making his getaway in a taxi.
Police now fear that the shooting may spark gypsy warfare and retribution crimes within the city.
A police spokesman said: “He was immediately taken to Malaga police station and not to Ronda for fear of reprisals.”
The incident took place at 14:30 in an area known as La Indiana – just metres away from the back entrance to the local army barracks.
Munoz – a furniture salesman – had been seen earlier with the suspect in Almeria and was driving back to his farm before the shooting took place.
The two men reportedly began arguing over a business matter while heading to a livestock fair held in the area.
The youth immediately fled the scene and called for a taxi at a nearby hotel – where he reportedly waited calmly for it to arrive.
“He was immediately taken to Malaga police station and not to Ronda for fear of reprisals.”
However, an onlooker – already aware of the shooting – alerted the police.
Just over an hour later, the vehicle was intercepted in the gaditana district of Algodonales.
The taxi driver was intially arrested but, after proving his identity, was subsequently released.
The murder of the popular Munoz has shocked Ronda and even prompted mayor Antonio Marin Lara to send his condolences to the victim’s family.
Meanwhile, police are searching for a motive behind the fatal attack.
Malaga province has now been the setting for 18 homicides this year, four more than the whole of 2008.
Ronda is becoming the crime capital of Andalucia. Glad I don’t live there – a very dangerous place to be these days.
well its nice to see he was arrested quickly unlike when a foreigner is attacked.
That sounds like a pretty interesting story to update when more facts are available
Sadly, Fran’s point is well made. No arrests yet, as far as I know, of the attackers of two foreigners in a Ronda bar back in June…
I guess there was not many clues available
Antonio, with regard to the Ronda bar attack in June, it is common knowledge that the bar owner, the manager on duty that night, onlookers and the victims, as well as the police, know exactly who the perpetrators were. There is a conspiracy of silence, just as there is with regard to other unsolved cases of violent attacks on foreigners in the town over the last few years. It is in the interests of the town (tourism, property sales, etc) that such violent crimes against foreigners are hushed up. As far as I’m aware the attack in question was only covered in The Olive Press and in a Finnish newspaper (one of the victims was a Finn). Yet both victims were hospitalised, the crime was reported and police visited the scene. Surely worth a mention in the local (Spanish) papers, at least, if not in regionals like SUR.