Skull in shopping bag leads to murderer being caught 6 years later

In the spring of 2020, amidst the pandemic lockdown, 59-year-old Francisco José Agüera vanished without a trace from a municipality in Málaga, Spain.

For years, his whereabouts remained a complete mystery. However, in June 2025, municipal workers clearing a drain in Alhaurín de la Torre, located about 12 miles west of Málaga, made a grim discovery: a human skull concealed within plastic bags.

According to authorities, the skull bore a fracture that pointed to a violent death. This critical piece of evidence sparked an intensive investigation, ultimately enabling police to identify the remains as Francisco’s.

Following these developments, the Civil Guard advanced their probe and arrested a suspect on July 28.

Upon interrogation, the suspect collapsed emotionally and admitted to the horrific murder of the missing victim. He disclosed that the crime took place inside Francisco’s residence in Coín, located 21 miles outside of Malaga.

Following the killing, the perpetrator severed Francisco’s body, packed the segments into plastic bags, and scattered them across different sites throughout the vicinity.

The individual subsequently guided detectives directly to multiple locations where the body parts had been hidden.

These recovered body parts have now been retrieved and are undergoing genetic testing to secure a conclusive verification.

Following the disappearance, a missing persons appeal was initiated, though it yielded no results. The case saw no progress until family and friends raised concerns after losing touch with him starting in late April 2020.

A startling breakthrough eventually occurred when municipal laborers uncovered human remains while clearing a plot of land within the Pinos de Alhaurín residential zone.

In February 2026, genetic analysis of the uncovered skull successfully enabled investigators to identify the deceased man.

Following this breakthrough, the police shifted their attention to Francisco’s personal and social circle, analyzing his past communications.

This focused probe ultimately directed authorities to a suspect who was known to the victim.