Man, 90, arrested on suspicion of murdering his 86-year-old wife in northern Spain

A 90-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering his 86-year-old wife at their home in northern Spain on Wednesday morning.

The Guardia Civil detained the pensioner in Pola de Laviana, Asturias, after receiving an alert from the couple’s carer at 6.10am.

The woman had rushed to their house after the elderly man telephoned her saying he was going to kill his wife.

When the carer arrived at the property, she discovered the woman’s body in bed showing clear signs of violence.

The husband was found covered in blood and had apparently attempted to take his own life following the attack.

Several patrols immediately responded to the scene, where officers could only confirm the woman’s death before arresting the suspected perpetrator.

The man was subsequently taken to Valle del Nalón Hospital for treatment.

According to police sources, the victim was not registered on Spain’s VioGén domestic violence monitoring system and there were no previous reports of abuse – a pattern seen in the majority of such cases.

Women often fail to alert authorities due to fear for themselves or their children, particularly when minors are involved, or concerns they will not be believed.

The tragic incident marks the ninth femicide in Spain during June alone, occurring just one week after the country’s first cluster killing of 2025.

Between Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, the bodies of five women murdered by their partners or ex-partners were discovered within 48 hours.

So far this year, 21 women have been killed by current or former partners across Spain. Since official statistics began in 2003, a total of 1,315 women have lost their lives to gender-based violence, though this latest case has yet to be officially confirmed in the national tally.

The arrest highlights the persistent issue of domestic violence affecting all age groups in Spain, where such crimes continue despite extensive awareness campaigns and legal protections.

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