A woman's body has been found half-buried on a popular beach in southern Spain, prompting a murder investigation. The discovery was made by a couple walking their dog at Sancti Petri beach, near Cadiz, on Sunday at around 11am.
The body was in an advanced state of decomposition, and authorities believe it had lain undiscovered for several days. A source said the body was "most probably buried under the sand before being exposed over time."
Victim Yet to Be Identified
Officers from the Civil Guard confirmed they are still trying to identify the victim, who is believed to be a woman aged around 50. However, her gender could only be determined during a post-mortem examination, which also revealed she had suffered several blows to the head.
A spokesman for the Civil Guard in Cadiz said: "This is being investigated as a homicide. The woman has not yet been identified so further tests are now taking place following the autopsy. We believe the body had laid undiscovered for several days before it was found."
Discovery During Local Race
The body was found at the entrance to an official dog beach near the Sancti Petri breakwater, in an area known as Lavaculos. An amateur seven-mile running race, in which around 500 people participated, was taking place at the time.
Well-placed sources said the autopsy established the body had been at the location for six to 10 days due to the state of decomposition. One local report claimed the incident was being treated as a possible case of gender violence inflicted on the woman by her partner or ex. Further tests are now underway following the autopsy.
