Suspect in Alex Aizpuru murder in Azpeitia surrenders in Ondarroa
A 43-year-old man, the main suspect in the fatal shooting of taxi driver Alex Aizpuru in Azpeitia, surrendered after 82 hours on the run. He did so at the Ondarroa police station whilst carrying a short firearm.
Suspect in fatal Azpeitia shooting arrested after surrendering in Ondarroa with a firearm
According to Google News ES — Crime, the alleged perpetrator of taxi driver Alex Aizpuru's murder presented himself voluntarily at the Ertzaintza police station in Ondarroa at 5.30 a.m. on Friday morning, bringing an end to 82 hours on the run. The man, aged 43 and Spanish national, arrived at the police headquarters carrying a short firearm.
Officers from the Territorial Criminal Investigation Service of Gipuzkoa (SICTG) proceeded to arrest him as the alleged perpetrator of the crime of homicide with a firearm. The Ertzaintza is now investigating whether this pistol is the same one used in the shooting.
The facts from Tuesday afternoon
On Tuesday last, at around 20.15 hours, a man fired five times with a short firearm at Alex Aizpuru on Artzubia avenue in Azpeitia and fled the scene in a vehicle. The victim, a 31-year-old taxi driver from Azpeitia, died at the scene as a result of the severity of his injuries.
Shortly after the shooting, a police operation was activated to try to locate the perpetrator. At around 23.25 hours on the same Tuesday, the Ertzaintza located the vehicle used by the suspect in another area of Azpeitia town centre. Both that vehicle and the victim's vehicle were taken to the Scientific Police department for inspection.
Three days of searching and raids
The SICTG took charge of the investigation to identify and arrest the perpetrator. During the following three days, officers carried out entries and raids at various locations in Azpeitia and neighbouring towns. The first of these raids took place at the suspect's home; upon finding that he was not inside, the search was extended to family premises and fish markets.
The operation kept the residents of the entire Urola Kosta region on edge. The suspect, according to what this newspaper was able to ascertain, had left his home without his documentation, mobile phone, cards and money before fleeing.
Criminal records for drug trafficking
The Ertzaintza states that the arrested man has three previous arrests for crimes against public health, that is, for drug trafficking. One of these criminal records resulted in 2007 in a sentence of 11 years in prison. He served seven years at Martutene prison and was released in 2015; since then there is no record of him being imprisoned again.
The sentence in that case found it proven that the condemned man and his partner were storing significant quantities of narcotics in their home in Azkoitia intended for distribution. The investigation began following police information about his possible involvement in the distribution of prohibited substances. Officers found hidden among clothing 20.53 grams of amphetamine, 16.86 grams of ketamine—8.14 of which were distributed in ten small bags—and 0.82 grams of cannabis.
The investigation remains open
Sources at the Ertzaintza indicated that the investigation remains open despite the surrender of the main suspect. Officers still need to determine whether the arrested man had the collaboration of third parties, both for committing the alleged crime and for remaining hidden during the three days that the police operation lasted.
The arrested man has been taken to police premises for the appropriate proceedings before being brought before a judge.
Source: Google News ES — Crime (es)