British woman strangled to death in Costa de la Calma, police hold husband

The Siesta apartment complex in Costa de la Calma.

Jason MooreCalvia23/01/2016 00:00

A 49-year-old British woman was strangled to death at her home in an apartment complex in Costa de la Calma in the early hours of this morning. The victim, identified only as Lisa Jane L., appeared to have been suffocated using the cable from a mobile phone charger. Police were last night holding her 50-year-old British husband. He had telephoned the emergency services in the early hours of the morning and allegedly confessed to the killing, according to Spanish news agency, EFE, quoting the emergency services. He is now in custody at the main Guardia Civil barracks in Palma and he is expected to be taken before a judge on Monday at the main law courts in Palma. He will be questioned and then the judge, based on the evidence, will decide whether or not to remand him in custody to await a trial date.

According to neighbours the couple had lived on the island for the past ten years. They had a grown-up daughter living in Britain. Police said yesterday that there was no history of domestic violence involving the couple. The cause of the murder, which has shocked the Siesta apartment complex where they lived, is still a mystery. Detectives from the Guardia Civil have been searching the apartment today for possible leads. Neighbours told the Bulletin that they had heard police cars and ambulances heading to the Siesta building in the early hours of the morning.

Calvia Council organised a vigil in Santa Ponsa in memory of the British woman and to condemn domestic violence. A statement said: “the mayor of Calvia, Alfonso Rodriguez, and the whole council call for an end to domestic violence which continues to shock us almost on a daily basis.” The Spanish Government Delegate in the Balearics, Teresa Palmer, said that she was horrified at the murder and called on all those who suffer domestic abuse to contact the authorities. Palmer said that a vigil would be held outside her offices in Palma at 12pm on Monday to condemn yet another case of domestic violence in the Balearics.