Ex-Mayor of Gandia found murdered

The Ex-Mayor of Gandia, Arturo Torró’s body was found on the A38 next to his car on Wednesday, February 19.

According to reports his wife found the businessman and former PP representative, after he phoned for help, at the side of the road in the Valencian municipality of Xeresa. He was found with signs of having been strangled and with at least one bullet wound at chest height. His car was still running. His wife directed the emergency services to them at the road and they announced his death at the scene.
Reports have said that the Guardia Civil are investigating if one of his tyres had been tampered with to force him to pull to the side of the road- as the car’s control panel had a warning on it for flat tyres.

It has been reported that his wife became concerned when he did not come home nor was, he answering her phone calls, other reports have said she received a phone call from her 62-year-old husband asking for help, she found his lifeless body at the scene.

A Mayor whose term in office is remembered for its controversy

Torró was the Mayor of Gandia between 2011 and 2015. However, his time as Mayor was mired in controversy. In 2023 he was sentenced to three and a half years in prison for embezzlement and ordered to pay a fine to Gandia Town Council of €135,812.50 alongside another person for their roles in a scandal that involved the contracts of broadcasting services for the town. He stepped down from politics in 2016.

Gandia will officially mourn his loss

The town of Gandia’s 80,000 occupants will be observing an official mourning period of three days, flags attached to official buildings will fly at half-mast in a show of respect and on Friday, February 21, a minute’s silence will be held in the main square.

An autopsy will be completed Thursday, February 20 at the IML (Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensics) in Valencia.

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