Antonio J., accused in the high-profile Tabaiba murder case, addressed the jury during his final statement, asserting his innocence. He claimed that “in hindsight,” blaming Toño, the mastermind behind the crime who took his own life shortly after, would have been the easy option. Antonio maintained he has always been transparent about the events and immediately cooperated with law enforcement.
This trial follows a previous verdict where Antonio was acquitted, but the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands annulled that decision, resulting in a retrial that took place over the last few days. The jury is expected to begin deliberations on Wednesday, as the judge wants to review the questions to present to them thoroughly.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution reaffirmed its demand for a 25-year prison sentence for Antonio, along with compensation of €153,600 to the victim’s family. The defence continues to assert his innocence and seeks his full acquittal. In the earlier trial, another defendant received a 24-year sentence for his role in the murder of Rubén on February 21, 2023, during Carnival celebrations.
The jury found that both defendants were together in an apartment around 5:30 PM, with one allegedly responsible for Rubén’s death while the other remained unaware. Evidence indicated that Toño and Rubén were involved in a cocaine trade that led to a €100,000 debt. To resolve their disputes, Toño arranged a meeting with Rubén at his apartment, under the guise of reaching an agreement. However, the jury concluded that Toño’s true intent was to kill Rubén, which he did using a crowbar in under four minutes after their entry.
The conviction relied on security footage from the building, a pharmacy, and a nearby supermarket, which showed the defendants and Rubén arriving at different times and then leaving together, without Rubén. It was also noted that they turned off their mobile phones simultaneously upon arriving in Tabaiba after communicating several times throughout the day.
Rubén’s body was found with severe skull fractures, and it was reported that his life could not have been saved even if the attack had occurred at a medical facility. Both defendants were arrested shortly after the incident, with José J. tracked by a GPS device placed in his vehicle.
