Spain Swiss woman killed on Mallorca - allegedly over a dispute about beer

Police in Mallorca have arrested a man who allegedly killed his Swiss mother-in-law with an axe. According to the Spanish police, the arrested man is Portuguese and 47 years old. He is suspected of murder, they said.

The victim is 74 years old and the crime was reported to have taken place on Wednesday evening near the coastal town of Colònia de Sant Jordi, around 50 kilometers southeast of the island's capital Palma, the Spanish police added. The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) in Bern could not be reached for confirmation on Thursday evening.

The police in Mallorca did not initially comment on the possible motive for the attack. According to media reports, the Portuguese man is said to have gone berserk because there was no more beer in the fridge and he had no money to buy alcohol. A neighbor heard screams and alerted the police, reported the regional newspapers "Diario de Mallorca" and "Última Hora", among others.

When officers from the Guardia Civil police unit arrived at the country house, they quickly discovered the body of the 74-year-old lying in a pool of blood. According to the police, the suspect was the only other person in the house and was therefore arrested immediately. The man with a criminal record is currently being held in a cell at a police station. He is to be brought before a magistrate.

"Última Hora" reported that the victim's daughter had already separated from the man in June last year and had also reported him for gender-based violence. However, the 47-year-old refused to move out of the house. He therefore lived there with his ex-partner and mother-in-law until the end.

SDA