Man jailed for 18 years for killing sister in Alfaz

A man has been jailed for 18 years for killing his sister. The 25-year-old shot his 17-year-old sibling while she was sleeping at their home in Alfaz del Pi.

The murder took place around 9.30am on the morning of April 4, 2009, after his parents had left for work, the court established.

Going into his parent’s bedroom he armed and loaded the hunting rifle, took off the safety, then went into his sister’s room and shot her twice, the bullets hitting her in the shoulder and head, killing her instantly.

He then over-turned the house, cut the telephone cable, broke the entrance doorframe and popped the lock, to make it look like a robbery.

The defense claimed that he had not meant to kill his sister, just scare her.

This was rejected by the court because the rifle had not been armed or loaded, the security taken off and instead of aiming above her both bullets was in the same region.

The defense said that the anabolic steroids he was taking may have affected his thinking.

Forensics said that while they may make a person more or less irritable, they do not affect a person’s decision making processes.

At the time of the incident, the accused had all his faculties intact and understood what he was doing, the court ruled.

By Nicole Hallett