The tourist was a 20-year-old called Tim. When the incident occurred in October 2022, an impression given by reports in Spain and in Germany was that this had been a case of a drunk tourist who had staggered on to the motorway, lain down and then been run over. It was a case, therefore, that suited a certain narrative regarding young tourists in Mallorca.
Tim's parents learned of their son's death on October 9. "The world fell apart for us. To make matters worse, at first glance it appeared that the cause was a drunken accident. Media in Spain and Germany reported the death and it was suggested that Tim had fallen asleep drunk and disoriented on the motorway.
"This was unimaginable to us. We knew, we felt that Tim had not gone on to the motorway voluntarily. We were very worried that the investigation would not continue. The facts of the case were clear, according to the media, so we filed a complaint in Germany on October 11 against unknown persons for the murder of Tim."
The above comes from a letter that Tim's father sent to the National Police in Palma. Now made available, it was dated November 19 this year. It was sent in light of the arrests that had been made.
The letter explains that on the evening of October 11, 2022, there was a phone call from Palma. It was a Sr. Ruiz of the National Police Homicide Squad. "Homicide Squad! It was a shock but there was also something resembling relief. Our doubts about the media version of the death were justified.
"Sr. Ruiz explained to us that there was a witness who had seen Tim being thrown from a vehicle. For this reason, the Homicide Squad had taken over. From that moment, we were sure that the perpetrators would not get away with it."
The letter goes on to say that the police asked Tim's parents not to say anything about the murder investigation. That was difficult because of the countless messages of condolences they received all saying much the same thing - Tim would never have lain down on the motorway out of his own will.
In his home town of Guxhagen in northern Hesse, the amateur theatre group cancelled its performances. Tim had been a member. His football team cancelled matches for several weeks. Training sessions were used for emotional rehabilitation. The referees' association ordered a minute's silence to be observed at all matches.
"At the funeral, the 400 seats in the church were not enough. Another 300 of Tim's friends and acquaintances gathered outside. But we couldn't tell anyone that Tim had been the victim of a violent crime. We couldn't correct the negative media coverage. For us it was an additional burden, but one that we were willing to bear."
The weeks and months passed. Sr. Ruiz would call from time to time. "The calls gave us strength to believe that the perpetrators would be arrested. He gave us the certainty that the Mallorcan authorities were meticulously investigating every little clue. Without this certainty, without Sr. Ruiz's appreciation for us and for our son, we probably would have cracked up over time. He gradually became a trusted person who understood our situation and, despite the necessary confidentiality and objectivity, established a very human relationship with us."
The arrests having been made, it was easier for them to learn to live with the loss. "The commitment of Sr. Ruiz and his team, the diligence and tenacity of all the people involved in the investigation of our son's death has not only allowed us to restore our son's reputation. No, the success of the investigation has led to respect for the Mallorcan investigators and the Spanish authorities as a whole.
"After the wonderful success of the investigation was widely reported by the media in Spain and also in Germany, our greatest hope now is that the perpetrators will actually be brought to justice and that they will not manage to evade prosecution due to 'legal tricks'. It won't bring back our dear Tim, but at least his death wouldn't go unpunished."
No comments
To be able to write a comment, you have to be registered and logged in
Currently there are no comments.