Irish couple found dead in hot tub at Spanish villa, homicide unit investigating
An Irish man, 50, and woman, 45, were found dead in a hot tub at a holiday villa in Cullera, Spain. A Civil Guard homicide unit has taken charge of the investigation.
Irish couple found dead in hot tub at Cullera villa
A Civil Guard homicide unit in Valencia is leading an investigation after an Irish couple were found dead in a hot tub at a rented holiday villa in Cullera, a coastal town approximately 25 miles south of Valencia, Dublin Live reports.
The man, aged 50, and woman, aged 45, were discovered by their two young children, who raised the alarm with the property owner after finding the couple's naked bodies at the villa. The property is located within Cap Blanc, an affluent gated residential development near the town's lighthouse.
A Civil Guard spokesman in Valencia confirmed the victims' nationalities on Wednesday morning: "The bodies of a man aged 50 and a woman aged 45 were found yesterday at a residential property in the municipality of Cullera. Both were Irish. Their children discovered the bodies in a hot tub and alerted the authorities."
The spokesman added that the first officers on scene identified "evidence pointing to the possibility the couple might not have died of natural causes", prompting the mobilisation of a specialist homicide unit. He stressed that "nothing has yet been ruled out", including the possibility that the deaths resulted from an accident in the hot tub.
Local media reported that the couple sustained injuries consistent with "puncture wounds". A water sample from the hot tub, described in local reports as appearing "cloudy", has been sent to a specialist laboratory for analysis.
A source close to the investigation told Dublin Live: "This is not necessarily going to have a quick resolution and the ongoing probe will take time to complete. It's all very recent still and the autopsies which will help to determine how the couple died have not yet taken place."
A second source noted the significance of the water sample: "The analysis could help investigators, for example, in finding out whether it contains DNA belonging to a third person."
The couple's remains have been transferred to Valencia's Forensic Medicine Institute, where post-mortem examinations will be conducted. Officers from Cullera Town Hall's local police force attended the scene initially; the Civil Guard has since assumed full control of the inquiry.
The children, described as "traumatised", have been placed in a hotel and are receiving support from social services. Their uncle is expected to travel to Spain from Ireland.
It remains unclear how long the couple had been staying at the villa prior to the discovery. Cap Blanc is a well-known residential and beach district in Cullera, home to villas and apartments overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Source: Dublin Live