Mystery solved after human skull found in Malaga drain identified as 59-year-old man who disappeared during Covid pandemic

THE baffling case of a skull found in a Malaga drain has finally been cracked after investigators identified the man behind the chilling discovery.

The skull was identified as belonging to 59-year-old Francisco Jose Aguera, who was reported missing in 2020 during the Covid pandemic.

The remains were unearthed by council workers in June 2025 at a housing estate in Alhaurin de la Torre – just a 30-minute drive from Coin, Aguera’s hometown and the place he was last seen.

Aguera’s skull was wrapped in two plastic bags and hidden in a water storage tank. 

Police scoured the area to find other body parts, but none were ever discovered.

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Authorities identified Aguera through dental records and DNA, aided by a lock of hair still attached to the skull.

The victim’s identity was first reported by SUR and was later confirmed on social media by Aguera’s sister, Ana Maria. 

Since Augera’s disappearance, on April 28 2020, his family have desperately tried to find him. 

His case was widely publicised both nationally and locally through the SOS Missing Persons Association, which regularly sent out appeals for information. 

The investigation into his death, which the Guardia Civil are treating as a homicide, remains open and ongoing. 

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