Judge Orders Reconstruction of University Student’s Death on El Hierro
Reconstruction of Incident Ordered
A judge in El Hierro has mandated the reconstruction of the death of Lía Dorta, a 20-year-old university student who tragically passed away in Valverde in July 2022 after suffering a fall. This judicial action will be carried out with the support of the Civil Guard and will include an experimental recreation of the fall along with a 3D modelling of the incident location, as announced by the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands on Monday.
The decision was made by Antonio Mazuecos, the judge of the Valverde Court of First Instance, within an ongoing investigation aimed at clarifying the circumstances surrounding the death that occurred in the early hours of 24 July 2022 in the car park area on San Juan Street in Valverde, El Hierro.
Involvement of Specialized Agents
The reconstruction is set to take place on Thursday 11 June and will be executed by specialised agents from the Crime Scene Department of the Civil Guard, with support from the Judicial Police units of Santa Cruz de Tenerife and the Judicial Police team in Valverde.
The operation will involve a forensic inspection of the scene and the recreation of the fall using a mannequin that shares similar characteristics with the victim. According to the TSJC, the goal is to “experimentally verify” the distance and position of the body after the fall, comparing these results with the evidence collected during the investigation. The final report will also include virtual recreations and a 3D infographic of the surroundings.
Investigation Classified as Accidental Death
Initially, the case was investigated as an accidental death; however, the family of the young woman maintains that there may have been negligent actions by third parties and insists on a thorough examination of all aspects of the incident. The investigation notes that the victim was with friends near the La Lonja nightclub when she separated from the group in a poorly lit area.
In previous resolutions, the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife upheld the provisional dismissal of the case in May 2024, but the case was later reopened following an appeal from the private prosecution, leading to the new action ordered by the investigating judge.
The reconstruction aims to assess hypotheses concerning how the fall occurred in an area described as a sloped access point with low walls and no railings, where a significant drop existed. The case remains open as further evidence is gathered to determine whether the layout of the site corresponds with the mechanics of the investigated accident.
