A German expat has died on Mallorca after more than a year in a coma following a brutal beating by minors. The 58-year-old from Grevesmühlen passed away on Saturday in a hospital on the island. His family is mourning, as the motives behind the attack remain puzzling.
Ronald, a 58-year-old German from Grevesmühlen in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern who lived as an expat on Mallorca and worked as a project manager at a call center, suffered a severe beating on November 30, 2024. After a Christmas party in Palma de Mallorca, he was walking home to his apartment when two minors attacked him. The perpetrators punched and kicked the man, even after he lay motionless on the ground, according to investigators.
The assault resulted in a coma from which Ronald never awoke. He passed away peacefully surrounded by loved ones on Saturday in a hospital on the island, as reported by the "Mallorca Zeitung." His family confirmed the news, stating: "Our son, brother, and friend has peacefully fallen asleep in the circle of his loved ones." On a donation website run by a former colleague, it read: "Today Ronald has lost his fight."
The background of the attack remains unclear. According to investigations, the youths likely wanted to impress two girls who witnessed the assault and are now under witness protection. About a month after the incident, police arrested the two suspects; one had previously fled to mainland Spain. Both have been in separate youth detention facilities since then. The trial is set to begin in February, with the prosecutor's office charging them with murder.
The case has caused a stir on the holiday island, raising questions about safety, particularly for expats and tourists in Palma.