Supreme Court Upholds Life Sentence in Landmark Tenerife Triple Murder Case
The Supreme Court has upheld the permanent revisable prison sentence for Ricardo Ortega, confirming he was fully responsible for the premeditated 2018 triple murder of his adoptive family in Tenerife.
Eight years after a tragedy that shocked the town of Guaza in Tenerife, the case of Ricardo Ortega has returned to the public eye. The triple murder, which took place in the early hours of March 23, 2018, in Arona, remains a landmark in Canarian legal history as one of the first instances where a "permanent revisable prison" sentence was applied following reforms to the Penal Code.
The Supreme Court’s final judgment, which rejected the defense's appeals, confirmed that the crimes were premeditated. Although lawyers for Ortega—who was adopted by the victims in Venezuela as a child—argued he suffered from a temporary mental disorder, the court concluded he was fully in control of his actions. The judges pointed to the planning involved, such as the use of latex gloves and the choice of weapon, as well as the calm demeanor Ortega displayed when calling emergency services, as proof that he was not suffering from any mental impairment.
The attack claimed the lives of Antonio Ortega, Carmen Nola, and Luciano Martín, leaving a lasting scar on their home community of La Palma. During the investigation, Ortega initially tried to claim that a violent robbery had taken place, but police quickly dismantled his story after finding no evidence of intruders at the scene. Autopsy reports later revealed the brutality of the attack, noting that the mother had fought to defend herself.
Legally, the case highlights the difficulties of trials where defendants claim a lack of criminal responsibility. The court upheld the maximum penalty: permanent revisable prison for the murder of the grandfather, plus 22 and a half years for the mother’s death and 20 and a half years for the father’s. While the use of permanent revisable prison remains a subject of national debate, the Supreme Court was clear that in this instance, the perpetrator was fully aware of his actions.
Today, the house on Abdón Rocha Street remains a grim reminder of that night. It continues to be a significant case in the Canary Islands, remembered not only for the devastating loss of a family but for the cold, calculated way the crimes were carried out.