The family of the child murdered in Lardero: “We want him to rot in jail”

The neighborhood Entre Ríos del Lardero (La Rioja) has rendered this Sunday a massive tribute in memory of Álex, the 9-year-old boy murdered in this area last Thursday, in a concentration in which one of his relatives stressed that this crime “could have been prevented.”

Gonzalo Martín, Álex’s great-uncle, has attended the event, held in the park from which the child disappeared and which was attended by several thousand people. “eternal gratitude” of the family for the citizen support shown these days.

The 54-year-old man, arrested for the death of this child and who was on probation since 2020, has spent this Sunday at the disposal of the Court of Instruction number 2 of Logroño, whose owner has decreed his provisional prison communicated without bail and has been transferred to the penitentiary center of the Riojan capital as alleged perpetrator of the murder.

Carnations, stuffed animals and cartoons

In Lardero, the neighbors they wanted to accompany Alex’s relatives and many children have deposited white carnations, stuffed animals and children’s drawings next to the swings in the park located in the Plaza Entre Ríos, in an area that has about 4,000 inhabitants, most of them young families with small children.

The arrested person, of Spanish nationality and a neighbor of Lardero, was serving a sentence in August 2023 for the murder and sexual assault of a young real estate agent, occurred in the Riojan capital in 1998, for which he was sentenced to 20 and 10 years in prison, respectively; and in 1993 he was sentenced to 7 years in prison for another sexual assault, which was terminated in May 1997.

In statements to journalists, Martín stressed that this “murder” could have been prevented, because, in the 19 months that have passed “since this individual was released from prison, justice could have done something.”

“You cannot leave a murderer on the street after killing a real estate agent and raping a 13-year-old girl. This man would have to be in jail for life, “he stressed.” They will not give Alex back to us, but we want him to rot in jail and never get out“, has underlined.

39 prison permits

He has censored that, for “good behavior”, the alleged perpetrator of the murder of his great-nephew enjoyed 39 prison permits during his last sentence, in which he could have committed a similar crime. “With this murderer on the loose, it was my nephew’s turn, but it could have been any girl because he also tried to take some of them,” he lamented.

Thus, has urged the Ministry of the Interior to “solve” this type of crime so that Álex “is the last and there will be no more”, but that this matter be resolved before elections are called. Martín has indicated that Álex’s parents, who had a brother, are “killed”, as are his grandparents, who feel “defeated”.

He has remembered the littleor “like a charming child, a beauty, affectionate, dynamic, happy, he did theater and he liked Halloween very much”, in fact, on the day of his death he was disguised as the “exorcist’s girl.” “He was not a trusting child and had a phobia of dogs,” he stressed, so he has ruled out that he was deceived with his alleged murderer to see some birds or other animals.

“It was all in a matter of a minute. His parents were at all times aware of their children, he did not take him away due to an oversight by his parents, who are totally dedicated to their two children,” he indicated. He has specified that Álex’s family lives in another area of ​​Lardero, located about 2 kilometers away, soThey were not aware that there had been attempts to kidnap girls in that area in the previous days, according to several witnesses after the crime.

“I was only 9 years old, but Álex has left us as a man because he has fought against a murderer and has lost the battle”, has indicated. Martín has said that it is not known when the child’s funeral will be held because, he added, a summary secret has been declared. A minute’s silence has been observed in the rally, after which the attendees have wrapped up Álex’s family with prolonged applause.

The president of the neighborhood association Entre Ríos, Eduardo Ruiz, He thanked the child’s family for allowing them to accompany them in these difficult times. “Children are the most innocent beings in our society and they have the right to be protected to allow them to live in a safe, happy and fearless environment, and when that protection is broken, society is also broken because we have failed in our mission”, has underlined in his speech.

He has transferred all the “love and support” to the child’s family and has reminded them that they are not alone in their mourning, because all their pain is shared by the residents of the neighborhood. A few meters from this park, next to the portal number 5 of Río Linares street, where it is believed that the detainee ended the life of Álex, dozens of white flowers, candles, stuffed animals and drawings faded by the rain also reminded the little one in a makeshift altar, before which many passersby interrupted their morning walk to whisper a prayer in sign of mourning.

“Principle of legality”

The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, has affirmed that all the institutions involved in the case of the murder of the child have abided by “the principle of legality.”

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It has indicated that in the event “all the institutions that have worked as they have understood reasonable have been incorporated, Penitentiary Institutions, the Prosecutor’s office and his own prison surveillance judge“.

Grande-Marlaska has offered statements to the media, after participating, together with the Minister of Education, Pilar Alegria, in the 15th Regional Congress of the PSOE, which was held in Logroño. He has shown his “solidarity” and “support” from the Government of Spain “to Álex’s parents, brother and all the family, and friends.” “A tragedy that it touches us all, every person who has a minimum sense of humanity, “added the minister.