The only person arrested and remanded in custody following the fatal shooting of a 25-year-old Algerian man on 18th April in Torrevieja has been released on bail by court order after spending over a month in prison. The 49-year-old suspect, who is also of Algerian origin, was initially identified as one of two individuals on a motorcycle that arrived at the crime scene on Calle Bergantín in Torrevieja. However, key witness statements given in court proved far less conclusive than those initially provided to the Guardia Civil. Defence lawyer José Soler Martín argued that his client was at an amusement arcade at the time of the attack, an alibi supported by security camera footage from the venue.
The magistrate at Court Number 1 of the Torrevieja Court of First Instance issued a ruling on 1st June revoking the provisional detention without bail, which had originally been ordered on 21st April and ratified on 29th April. The judge determined that the evidence against the individual had weakened significantly following recent investigative developments.
Court documentation highlights that the initial detention relied heavily on a witness who told the Guardia Civil that the suspect was driving the motorcycle. However, when testifying in court, the witness admitted he could not see the driver’s face. He clarified that he had merely deduced the driver’s identity because he recognised the passenger—the suspect’s brother—who stepped off the vehicle and fired up to four shots into the entrance of number 38 Calle Bergantín, fatally wounding the victim.
The judge concluded that without direct identification, the case against the released suspect rests primarily on a historical family feud and minor peripheral elements. Although released without financial bond, the man remains subject to strict precautionary measures: he is banned from leaving Spain, his passport has been confiscated, and he must appear in court on the first day of every month, attend all official summonses, and report any change of residence.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the homicide remains active. Torrevieja court authorities have issued a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) for Ali M., the brother of the released man, who is suspected of being the gunman. Investigators believe he fled the country shortly after the murder and may be hiding in Belgium, where relatives reside.
Guardia Civil enquiries revealed that the fatal shooting forms part of a long-standing blood feud between the two Algerian families, which originated in their home country, where they lived just metres apart. The dispute previously led to a shooting in Belgium and a series of police reports in Torrevieja involving death threats, knife attacks, and violent robbery.
Just a month prior to the murder, on 14th March, members of the victim’s family attempted to kill Ali M. in Torrevieja. A car carrying Ali M. and his brother was stopped by the 25-year-old murder victim, after which a relative of the deceased opened fire at Ali M.’s head, striking him through both arms. The gunman fled, but his brother was arrested for attempted murder and granted court bail. Exactly one month later, revenge was taken when the 25-year-old was ambushed and killed as he left his home. Guardia Civil officers are continuing their efforts to locate and arrest the primary suspect.