Security Footage Challenges Defendant’s Account in Tabaiba Murder Retrial
The retrial of Antonio J. for the murder of Rubén in Tabaiba has reached a critical stage as security footage contradicts the defendant's account of the events leading up to the crime.
The trial for the murder of Rubén in Tabaiba has reached a critical stage at the Provincial Court of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, following testimony from National and Civil Guard officers. Evidence from security footage has cast significant doubt on the account provided by Antonio J., the only defendant in this retrial after he was acquitted in a previous hearing.
The case centers on an alleged dispute between the defendant and a man named Toño, who died by suicide the day after the incident. Antonio J. claimed he confronted Toño outside the building because he felt he had been deceived. However, police officers testified on Tuesday that no such altercation appears in the security footage, which covers the building’s entrance as well as a nearby supermarket and pharmacy.
A Civil Guard officer presented a detailed timeline of the events. At 5:07 p.m., Toño drove Antonio J. to the building’s parking lot. At 5:24 p.m., Juan J.—who has already been convicted for his role in the crime—was filmed taking an object resembling a crowbar from his car trunk; that weapon has never been found. The victim, Rubén, entered the garage at 5:56 p.m. Based on the footage, investigators believe the crime occurred within a four-minute window, as all suspects had fled the scene by 6:04 p.m.
The case remains complex due to the missing weapon, which Juan J. allegedly hid under a towel, and the fact that the suspects escaped by jumping over a wall. Additionally, police found 20 grams of cocaine during a search of Antonio J.’s home. While the defendant claimed the drugs belonged to acquaintances from La Palma, officers noted that he did not seem surprised when the substance was discovered.
The court is also examining the condition of Toño’s body, which was later found in La Laguna. Prosecutors argue that the injuries on his body are consistent with a struggle related to Rubén’s murder. The trial will continue with testimony from neighbors and Juan J., who has been brought from the Salto del Negro prison in Gran Canaria to testify.