The Civil Guard has detained a 35-year-old man as the alleged perpetrator of the murder of a 30-year-old woman in El Viso del Alcor, Seville, following a fire in their home. The victim showed signs of bladed weapon violence, and the case is being investigated as possible gender-based murder. The town hall has declared three days of official mourning.
On Saturday night, around 9 PM, a fire broke out at number 32 on Calle Calvario in El Viso del Alcor, a town in Seville. Neighbors alerted the Local Police upon seeing smoke coming from the single-story house with a yellow facade. When firefighters and officers arrived, the man living there, identified as Ismael, 35 years old, barricaded himself inside and emerged naked wielding a knife, threatening those present.
Inside the house, authorities found the lifeless body of a 30-year-old Colombian woman, with whom he had been in a romantic relationship for over a year. The victim showed signs compatible with a bladed weapon assault, though the autopsy will determine the exact cause of death, which could be due to the fire or the violence. The woman had a 12-year-old daughter who was not at the home at the time of the incident. There were no prior complaints against this couple, but the detainee was registered in the Viogén system for a previous relationship with another woman, with whom he had children.
Ismael, a former lottery ticket seller fired two years ago, was unemployed and rented out rooms in the house, though he often clashed with tenants. Neighbors describe him as someone with a 'bad attitude,' recalling incidents like ramming a car over a parking dispute.
The Government Subdelegate in Seville, Francisco Toscano, confirmed the investigation as a possible machista murder and urged reporting any threats: "Any woman who feels even minimally threatened or anyone in her environment should come forward and file the appropriate complaints with the Security Forces and Corps." The Andalusian Inclusion Social Counselor, Loles López, expressed sympathy to the family and regretted the news. The Government Delegation against Gender Violence is gathering data as a presumed gender violence case.
Mayor Gabriel Santos declared three days of official mourning, with flags at half-mast and cancellation of the Hogueritas contest. A minute of silence was called for 12:00 on Sunday, December 7, in front of the Town Hall in memory of the victim. This incident raises the number of gender violence victims in Andalusia in 2025 to 13.
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