An 80-year-old British man was arrested on suspicion of murdering his wife after a 69-year-old woman was found dead at home in the Spanish resort of Costa del Sol, according to reports.
Local media quoted investigators as saying that the woman, also British, had been stabbed more than 20 times at a property on Antonio Machado Avenue in the coastal town of Benalmadena.
National Police arrested the man on Friday night after finding him still in the property with the body, reports said. He was said to be suffering from Alzheimer’s, after being diagnosed at the beginning of this year.
Regional newspaper Diario Sur quoted police recounting the alleged sequence of events.
The report said at around 10.30pm the woman called emergency services claiming she had been stabbed four times by her husband. The call was cut off.
When the police arrived they found the victim lying on the floor of the living room, very close to the door of the house. Medics were not able to save her, it said.
The man was found lying down in the bedroom and arrested with little resistance, it said.
A spokesperson for National Police in Malaga said on Saturday: “Yesterday at around 10.30pm, a man aged 80 allegedly killed his wife aged 69.
“The victim received several stab wounds with a bladed weapon. The suspected killer has been arrested.
“It would appear he has a psychological illness with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.”
The report continued to say emergency responders had to access the house via a fire escape after failing to break down the door.
Police have opened an investigation into the attack. The man remains in custody.
Reports quoted neighbours saying the married couple had been living in Spain for about 30 years and were known to locals, though they were not fluent in Spanish.
The regional paper was told that husband and wife used to help other recently arrived British foreigners to settle in the town and had decided to donate their flat to an animal shelter in the future.
The Independent approached the foreign office for comment.
