Has Emilio Munoz Guadix been released from prison? Status of the kidnapper from 900 days without Anabel explored

Scene from the Docuseries | Source: Netflix España on YouTube
Scene from the Docuseries | Source: Netflix España on YouTube

The kidnapping and murder of Anabel Segura in 1993 left Spain and the world in shock, becoming a dark landmark in Spanish history. Three decades later, the Netflix docuseries 900 Days Without Anabel is bringing the case back to the center of attention, disclosing never-seen-before details about the crime. One of the questions that is gaining traction among viewers is around the current whereabouts of Emilio Muñoz Guadix, one of Anabel's kidnappers.

The case that shocked Spain and the world

On April 12, 1993, Anabel Segura disappeared when she went jogging in an affluent neighborhood in Madrid—La Moraleja. The 22-year-old woman who was about to graduate from university was kidnapped by Emilio Muñoz Guadix and Candido "Candi" Ortiz Aon, who planned to demand an exorbitant amount from her family as ransom. What followed were almost three years—900 days— when Spain lived in suspense, closely following attempts to locate Anabel.

The crime was even more heinous due to the kidnappers' cruelty. The victim was murdered just hours after being captured, but the criminals kept on deceiving her family for almost three years, sending fake recordings, including one in which Guadix's wife pretended to be Anabel, pleading for help and keeping the family's hopes alive. This cruel manipulation left the country in suspense, while the kidnappers prolonged the suffering of Anabel's family for financial gain.

900 Days Without Anabel reveals new information about the case, among which are tapes recorded during negotiations with the kidnappers. These revelations reinforce the impact of this crime which is still remembered as one of the most significant in recent Spanish history.

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The sentence and controversial outcome

Guadix and Ortiz Aon were sentenced to 39 years in prison each, which the Spanish Supreme Court later increased to 43 years in prison for both—because of the controversial Parot doctrine.

The Parot Doctrine, adopted by Spain's Supreme Court in 2006, aimed to toughen prison sentences for serious crimes by applying sentence reduction benefits individually to each crime rather than to the total sentence. However, in 2013, the European Court of Human Rights invalidated its retroactive application, claiming it violated human rights. This decision resulted in the early release of Guadix, after serving only 18 years in prison. Meanwhile, Ortiz Aon never left the prison. At the age of 48, he died of a heart attack.

On November 27, 2013, Emilio Muñoz Guadix was released. Since then, nobody knows where he is or what he has been doing, which is as disturbing as the crimes he committed. The impact of his crimes and the struggle for justice remain etched in collective memory.

Curious to learn more about Emilio Muñoz Guadix and the case of Anabel Segura? Watch 900 Days Without Anabel now streaming, on Netflix.

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Edited by Yesha Srivastava