Murcia’s Provincial court has imposed a 20 year prison sentence on Ismael Blanco López, the young man who, in the early hours of March 19, 2017, strangled to death Isabel Ruiz a retired market trader from San Pedro del Pinatar.
The murder took place after he and two colleagues had broken into her home and were disturbed while stealing her money, jewellery and other valuables, which they intended to use in order to to maintain their drinking and cocaine habits.
The two colleagues who accompanied Ismael Blanco at the time of the robbery, Juan Manuel BG and Luis SG have both been sentenced to four years in prison for the robbery.
It was established that the crime took place around two o’clock in the morning, when the three accused broke into the house after Blanco kicked in the door.
He then seized a handful of jewellery after which all three went to the neighbourhood of La Charca in San Pedro del Pinatar, where they exchanged them for money and cocaine.
Lawyers for the defence asked to judge to take into consideration the mitigating circumstance of mild intoxication due to the consumption of narcotic substances prior to breaking into the house.
In the case of Ismael Blanco, the presiding magistrate has also taken into account the partial reparation of the damage, as, before the trial, he agreed to pay 70,000 euros compensation to the woman’s relatives.
