A Chilling Tale of Love and Betrayal in Orense, Spain
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Chapter 1: The Dark Confession
In December 2021, a startling confession emerged from Orense, Spain, when Cristina Rodríguez revealed to her psychiatrist a harrowing truth. Months earlier, she had met a man through an online dating platform, who tragically died of natural causes in her home. Instead of alerting authorities, Cristina opted to conceal the incident to evade repercussions. She confessed to burning the body and burying the remains.
Upon hearing this alarming disclosure, the psychiatrist felt compelled to inform a police officer friend, leading to a swift report to the authorities. Consequently, Cristina was taken into custody.
The victim, José María Roldán, a 53-year-old retiree, traveled from Catalonia to Orense on August 20, 2021, to meet Cristina, whom he believed to be the love of his life. He only purchased a one-way ticket, convinced that he had found his soulmate.
After his departure, his family lost contact with him, prompting them to file a missing persons report seven days later. José María’s mother informed the police that her son had gone to Galicia to meet a woman.
Section 1.1: Cristina's Troubled Past
At the time of the incident, Cristina was just 26 years old, and her childhood was marked by hardship. Allegations of abuse by her father haunted her and her twin sister, who ultimately chose to report the matter, a decision Cristina was unwilling to make.
After completing her education, Cristina found employment at a bakery in Cortegada, Orense. Her neighbors described her as a solitary figure, often leaving home early and rarely engaging in conversation. Eventually, she married a man 29 years her senior, with whom she had a daughter. Following their separation, custody was granted to the father, leaving Cristina with a restraining order against her ex-partner and frequent psychiatric appointments.
After her arrest, Cristina was brought before a judge in Ribadavia. In a moment of vulnerability, she admitted that José María’s demise was not due to an accident.
Section 1.2: The Fatal Encounter
Cristina recounted how, upon meeting José María, she was disillusioned by his appearance, citing his hearing and vision impairments, as well as his possessive nature. Their relationship soured on the night of August 23 when José María professed his deep affection for her, expressing a desire to stay in Orense. Cristina did not reciprocate these feelings, leading to a fierce argument that escalated tragically.
Subsection 1.2.1: The Crime
In a desperate act, Cristina drugged José María's coffee, and when he fell into a deep sleep, she suffocated him with a pillow. Investigators believe this horrific act occurred in the early hours of August 24, the last day his phone showed activity.
Afterward, Cristina devised a plan to dispose of the body, but her efforts quickly unraveled. For five days, she kept José María's body in her room before attempting to incinerate it outside her home. The smoke from the fire irritated a neighbor, prompting Cristina to extinguish it. As a result, she resorted to dismembering the body, burying some remains in her garden and discarding others in plastic bags.
