How Google Maps helped crack a Spanish murder case
In a surprising turn of events, a street view on Google Maps has accidentally clicked crucial evidence in a missing person case in Spain. The incident took place on a deserted street in northern Spain's Tajueco, where the vehicle clicked a man putting a large white bag into the trunk of a red car. The image, clicked in October 2024 and still visible on Google Maps, has helped police investigation.
Case background: Disappearance of a Cuban national
The case dates back to November 2023, when a Cuban national living in Soria, a northern Spanish municipality, was reported missing by his family member, according to newspaper El País. The missing man had moved to Soria (a city in Spain) in search of a woman he believed was his partner. Suspicion arose when the relative received texts from the man's phone saying he had found another woman and was planning to leave Spain and discard his phone.
Investigation leads to arrest of 2 individuals
The investigation turned authorities' attention toward the missing man's ex-partner and another man, believed to be her new partner. In November 2024, police arrested the couple on suspicion of their involvement in the Cuban national's disappearance and alleged murder. A few weeks later, a torso believed to belong to the missing man was found in a cemetery near Tajueco (a municipality located in the province of Soria).
Google Maps's role in the investigation
The police have also acknowledged the important role of Google Maps in capturing images related to the alleged murder. "One of the clues that investigators used to solve the crime, though not conclusive, were the images detected during an investigation of a mapping application," a police statement said. These images helped them identify a vehicle that may have been used in connection with this crime.
Tajueco residents unaware of the crime
Residents of Tajueco, a small community of just 56 people, were shocked by the news. Several locals had seen the images captured by Google Maps but didn't suspect any criminal activity. "We would have never imagined he was doing anything and we didn't think anything of it," said one resident. Another added that they "didn't think that in the photo of the boot there would be a body."
