The complaint for the disappearance of Baranda was filed by his cousin and Merino appeared at the barracks later, requested by the agents
SANTANDER, 10 Nov. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Neighbors of the accused of killing her partner in Castro Urdiales, Carmen Merino, and of the victim -Jesús María Baranda, whose head appeared in a package that she would have given to a friend to keep in her house- did not perceive that “nothing strange” happened in the couple’s home, on Padre Basabe street in the Cantabrian town, on dates close to his disappearance, in February 2019 (the skull was found in September), nor “strong discussions” Between both.
This was stated this Thursday by four people who live in the same building, who although they have specified that it is not their habitual residence or that they work outside, have agreed that they did not see or hear anything strange, neither directly nor through comments from third parties, such as other owners or tenants.
And in addition, they have agreed that it is the “first time” that they are asked about these extremes, in the trial that is held this week and the next in the Provincial Court of Cantabria against the defendant, a 64-year-old native of Seville. Her boyfriend, a retired Basque banker, was 67 years old when he disappeared.
The neighbors have appeared as witnesses proposed by the defense and have underlined, to questions from this party, that neither the National Police nor the Civil Guard -or other State Security Forces and Bodies- have contacted them until now, nor They have contacted the agents.
At the hearing, the fourth of the plenary before the court of the jury constituted in the Third Section of the AP, a member of the Benemérita has also testified -at the request of the prosecutor- who intervened in the complaint for the disappearance of Baranda and in the taking statement to Merino, who faces 25 years in prison for murder requested by the public ministry (the sons of the deceased, who exercise private prosecution, claim reviewable permanent prison).
He explained that it was filed, in April, by a cousin of the disappeared person, after which they called his then partner, who did not object and showed up at the barracks “after two hours”. Thus, she is not aware that Merino went voluntarily, but because she was required.
This guard –who has pointed out that the protocol for a search is activated after the disappearance is reported– has also stated that he has no record that the suspect was before the report by the agencies, nor that he communicated fears that they could be accessing his home -“no, not at all”- or about changing the lock for that reason -“not me, particularly”, he said-. According to the actions and statements that have transpired, he changed it twice.
With his statement, the testimonial evidence of the accusations has concluded and that of the defense has begun, with several neighbors of the couple, who had been living together in his apartment for about seven years, at number 12 of Padre Basabe -the package with the skeletal remains appeared at the house of a friend of the defendant, on Santa Ana street, about 450 meters away. According to Merino’s version, he gave it to her because he kept sex toys inside and he was “ashamed” that the Civil Guard would see them in possible house searches after the disappearance was reported.
In the first place, and by videoconference, a married couple has declared that they have a home in that block, on the third floor, although it is not their habitual residence, but a second residence, to which they usually go “once a month, more or less “, the man indicated.
Both he and his wife have indicated that between the months of January and March 2019 they had no record, directly or indirectly, of “something strange”, related to the facts that are being judged, in the duplex that the accused and victim shared.
Likewise, they have agreed that it is “the first time” that they have been asked about this matter, since they have never before been required by the police nor have they contacted the agents. “At no time,” the woman has settled.
Another neighbor, on the fourth floor and who lives there every day of the year -there are thus “four or five” houses more “at the most”, she has indicated-, was not required nor did she contact police officers and did not see or hear anything ” of relevance”, extremes that other residents of the property did not comment on.
After specifying that he works away from home, morning and afternoon and with “very irregular” hours, he pointed out that after what happened in the media, as a result of the discovery of the skull, the neighbors did not comment on anything in particular, such as that “bloodstains” had been seen or “strange noises” heard.
And neither did he hear, before Baranda’s disappearance -in mid-February, when the investigators also set the date of death- “strong discussions” between the couple, according to the jurors.
The members of the court have also raised this question with another neighbor, also on the fourth floor and who works outside the home, and the answer has been negative again: “Never”. Like the previous witnesses, this woman did not perceive or have knowledge of relevant circumstances, nor was she required or contacted the Police, “at no time.”
Practiced the entire testimonial, the trial will continue this Friday, starting at ten in the morning, with the start of the expert. Specifically, four tests are planned, including the skull autopsy, key in this case.
