The elderly man who died in the fire at his home in Ses Païsses, Ibiza, in August 2023 —allegedly caused by his son’s partner— suffered a slow agony from smoke inhalation due to his inability to move.
This was explained on Friday during the jury trial being held at the Provincial Court of Palma, in which a woman faces a possible sentence of permanent revisable imprisonment. The forensic doctor who attended the removal of the body and conducted the autopsy testified before the jury.
The doctor noted that it was striking that the 77-year-old victim had second-degree burns only on the front and side of his body, in addition to the inhalation injuries that ultimately caused his death.
The coroner also carried out a psychiatric evaluation of the defendant this year. Although she suffers from schizoaffective disorder, the expert concluded that at the time of the events she was not experiencing any episode and was therefore fully aware of her actions. “There was no alteration in any aspect of normal psychological functioning”, he said.
The expert added that during the interview he observed a lack of empathy, coldness and indifference, and that the defendant offered only “hazy” recollections when asked about the events under investigation.
Jury trial
The Jury Court of the Provincial Court has been holding, since last Monday, the trial against the woman accused of allegedly setting fire to the house where two elderly people in her care were sleeping, one of whom died, in August 2023 in Ibiza.
She is charged with one count of murder and one count of arson, and the prosecution is requesting a sentence of permanent revisable imprisonment.
According to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, at the time of the events one of the elderly victims was totally dependent, unable to leave the property and died in the fire.