The Señorito Killer

One of the most dangerous criminals ever released from a Spanish prison is Joaquín Villalón Díez, better known as the “Señorito Killer.” Joaquín earned this nickname thanks to his elegant suits and impeccable manners, which made him appear to be a true gentleman with his neatly combed brown hair. In reality, Joaquín turned out to be a wolf in sheep’s clothing, brutally murdering not only his pregnant girlfriend but also two transvestites. But how could this have happened? Joaquín was born on December 11, 1955, in Mérida. He grew up in poor circumstances and hoped that his life would change for the better when he entered the military academy in Zaragoza in 1978. But when Joaquín was accused by the authorities of robbing a gas station, he deserted and went into hiding in Andorra. There, thanks to a fake passport, he assumed a new identity and began to lead a normal life. He even married and had two children. But the marriage was unhappy, and the couple quickly went their separate ways. When he took a job in a supermarket in 1981, he met and fell in love with 25-year-old Francisca “Paquita” Gracia Coca. Finally, Joaquín’s life seemed to be taking a turn for the better. The couple even planned to tie the knot in August 1981. But on July 22, 1981, Paquita’s pregnancy led to a heated argument with Joaquín, who lost his temper. In a rage, he strangled Paquita with his bare hands. He lived with Paquita’s dead body for three days before dismembering it with an electric saw. He packed her remains into bags, which he disposed of in various locations in a wooded area not far from the small town of Bixessarri. These remains were discovered by police officers who were patrolling the area. Once the victim’s identity had been established, Joaquín quickly came under the scrutiny of investigators and fled to a small youth hostel in Madrid. He was eventually arrested there. After a card-like document was found among his belongings on which he had marked the locations where he had hidden Paquita’s remains, he confessed to the murder. He was sentenced to 17 years in prison. Joaquín behaved impeccably as a prisoner, which is why he was transferred to open prison after 10 years. He only had to spend the nights in Yeserías prison. During this time, Joaquín met a woman with whom he lived in the Arganzuela district. But his new relationship did not prevent him from visiting Madrid’s red-light district. He was a regular visitor to transvestites and transsexuals, who magically attracted him. One of his favorite transvestites was 37-year-old “Carmen,” whose real name was José Indalecio Castañero Rodríguez. He visited her on September 27, 1992, at her apartment at Paseo de la Habana 82, where the two got into a heated argument. Joaquín sprayed aerosol in Carmen’s face before beating her unconscious. He then dragged her into the bathroom, tied her up with a steel chain, and placed towels over her legs. He set them alight with a match. He then stole several items, including a video recorder. When the neighbors noticed the fire, they immediately called the fire department. Carmen was taken to the hospital with severe smoke inhalation and burns, where her legs had to be amputated. On January 29, 1993, Carmen succumbed to her injuries without being able to reveal the name of her attacker. Just two weeks after the attack on Carmen, Joaquín enlisted the services of 29-year-old transvestite Juan Manuel Martínez Sierra, who called himself “Joanna.” In Joanna’s apartment at 42 Buenavista Street, the two got into an argument. Joaquín saw red once again and knocked Joanna unconscious. He then dragged her into the bathroom, ran a bath, and held Joanna’s head under the water until she drowned. Joaquín then fled with her bank card. As Joaquín withdrew large sums of money using the card, the police tracked him down thanks to the transactions on Joanna’s accounts and CCTV footage. He was arrested on October 29, 1992, at a bank in Madrid, whose ATM he had used most frequently to withdraw money and which was therefore under surveillance. In total, Joaquín had withdrawn 2 million pesetas from Joanna’s account. After Carmen’s video recorder was found in Joaquín’s possession, he was sentenced to 59 years and 4 months in prison by the Madrid Provincial Court in 1995 for the murders of Carmen and Joanna. Joaquín, who according to psychiatric reports suffered from a psychopathic personality disorder with schizoid and paranoid traits and fetishistic transvestism, served his sentence in Segovia prison until December 10, 2013. Joaquín was one of the prisoners released by order of the Third Section of the Madrid Provincial Court after the Strasbourg Court of Justice overturned the retroactive application of the Parot doctrine. Joaquín, considered one of Spain’s most dangerous released criminals, has been able to enjoy his life in freedom ever since.