Man confesses to killing and dismembering friend in Coín, Málaga

During the Covid‑19 pandemic, 31‑year‑old Francisco José Agüera disappeared from the town of Coín in the province of Málaga. In June 2025, workers from the Alhaurín de la Torre Town Council uncovered a bag in a manhole that contained a severed human head. Forensic analysis later confirmed the remains belonged to Agüera.

A suspect, known to the victim, told the Spanish Civil Guard that he had killed Agüera in his Coín home, dismembered the body and scattered the parts around the area. The investigation, dubbed Operation Capibara, led to the suspect’s arrest on 28 July 2026. He guided police to the locations where the remains were hidden, using ground‑penetrating radar, drones and sniffer dogs to locate them.

The suspect appeared before a magistrate, exercised his right to silence and was ordered into pre‑trial detention without bail on homicide charges.