The Castro Urdiales Crime that took place on the night of February 7 to 8, 2024, has left the small seaside town in Cantabria in shock.
On the night of February 7 to 8, 2024, in Castro Urdiales, a small seaside town in Cantabria, a gruesome event took place. Two brothers, aged 13 and 15, killed their mother, Silvia López Gayubas, a 48-year-old religion teacher and catechist. The woman was found dead in a car parked in the garage of the family home, with a stab wound in her neck and a bag over her head. The boys, who were adopted from Russia, fled the crime scene and hid in a nearby park. There they were arrested by the police after they called their grandmother and first said they had been kidnapped, and then confessed to killing their mother.
The motive for the crime was supposed to be a quarrel about the bad grades of the older brother, who had problems at school. According to investigators, he dealt the fatal blow to his mother, and his younger brother helped him hide the body. Then both tried to cover their tracks, starting the car engine and crashing it into the garage wall. It is not known whether they planned to set the vehicle on fire or escape from the city. The boys’ father, a factory worker in Llodio, in the Basque Country, was not at home at the time of the crime, as he was on the night shift. There is no evidence that he had anything to do with the murder.
The case shocked the public opinion and the local community, which did not suspect that there could be any conflicts in the López Gayubas family. Neighbors and acquaintances described the mother as a nice, calm and dedicated woman, and her sons as polite, intelligent and well-behaved boys. No one noticed any signs of aggression, depression or mental disorders in them. At the school they attended, they had no problems with teachers or classmates. They were active in parish life and participated in extracurricular activities. It is not known what could have caused such a dramatic change in their behavior and led to such a cruel act.
Currently, both brothers are under the care of social and judicial services. The older one has been arrested and charged with murder, and the younger one is under supervision, as due to his age he is not subject to punishment. Both refused to testify before the police and the prosecutor. Their fate depends on the results of psychological and psychiatric examinations, which are to determine whether they were aware of their actions and whether they are capable of bearing responsibility. Depending on this, they may end up in a correctional facility, therapeutic center or children’s home. Their father and grandmother, who are in a state of shock and mourning, have not commented on the case and have asked for respect and privacy.
The murder of a mother by two sons in Castro Urdiales is a case that has caused great upheaval and outrage. Where did such hatred and aggression come from in the hearts of these boys? What prompted them to kill their mother? Why didn’t anyone notice earlier that something was wrong? These are questions that are hard to find answers to, and that haunt everyone who follows this case.
The perpetrators must face the consequences of their actions and answer to justice. But that’s not enough. To prevent similar tragedies in the future, all possible actions are needed. Supporting and helping adoptive families, which often struggle with many difficulties and challenges, is also necessary. Let’s also remember the victim, Silvia López Gayubas, who did not deserve such a fate and who left behind sadness and regret. May she rest in peace.
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