The Jubany case, awaiting justice

For so many years, the family of Helena Jubany, a librarian and journalist from Mataró murdered in Sabadell in 2001, has been demanding justice for her death that the displays of joy outside the Sabadell courthouse this Friday were not surprising. The judge presiding over the case ordered the provisional detention of the family's main suspect, criminal lawyer Santi Laiglesia, an acquaintance of the victim and the partner of another acquaintance, Montse Careta. Careta was initially the prime suspect, as it was from the rooftop of her house that the victim's body was thrown. Jubany's clothing, which has been key to the investigation, was found folded on the rooftop. She was in a semi-coma due to the ingestion of benzodiazepines, and her body was found naked, burned, and disfigured from the fall. Careta, however, committed suicide in prison in 2002 and never ceased to insist on her innocence. Laiglesia and the other person now under investigation in the case, Xavier Jiménez, were initially charged, but ultimately there was insufficient incriminating evidence and the case was dismissed in 2005.

In 2020, however, after the family garnered media attention and was aided by a press program Crimes With considerable media attention, the case was reopened shortly before the statute of limitations expired. A new investigation began, leading to Laiglesia's provisional imprisonment. Yesterday, he refused to testify before the judge, a decision the prosecution argues ultimately backfired. However, the key evidence was genetic. Forensic genetic testing has improved significantly over the years, allowing investigators to find traces of Laiglesia's DNA on the sweater the victim was wearing that day. Initially, he denied having seen her in the days prior. But the DNA evidence, combined with other clues and proof, has made him the prime suspect in the crime, in which, according to the investigation, Xavier Jiménez, currently free on bail, may also have been involved.

The exact reasons behind the crime are unknown, and it is hoped that they will emerge during the trial. This is precisely what the family wants to know, having spent 24 years seeking the truth. And not only for Jubany's death but also for that of the other victim, as Careta's family has also been demanding justice and the truth about what happened for some time. They complain about the slowness of the proceedings, with good reason, and we will have to see what ultimately happens with the verdict. But their persistence and the skill of their lawyer, Benet Salellas, have managed to reopen the case and bring their main suspect to trial. The Jubany case is one step closer to its conclusion.