4 Men Convicted in Spain for Homophobic Murder of 24-Year-Old Nursing Assistant

Madrid: Four men were found guilty in Spain for their involvement in the homophobic killing of a 24-year-old nursing assistant, a crime that led to protests in cities throughout Spain and internationally, on Sunday.

Samuel Luiz passed away in the hospital after being attacked by a group of individuals outside a nightclub in A Coruña, located in the northwestern Galicia region, in July 2021.

Diego Montaña, Alejandro Freire, and Kaio Amaral were convicted of aggravated murder, while Alejandro Míguez was found guilty of complicity in the crime.

The jury in A Coruña determined that Montaña, the leader of the group, had deduced Luiz was gay based on his speech and appearance. Montaña then shouted homophobic slurs at Luiz before the assault and made anti-gay remarks to the other accused after the attack.

“Today, four attackers have been sentenced for the murder of Samuel Luiz,” former Equality Minister Irene Montero shared a post on the social media platform X.

“Let’s not look the other way: LGTBIphobia that kills begins with comments or ‘jokes’ that are hateful, harmful and must be stopped.”

The jury deliberated for an unusually long five days after a trial that spanned nearly four weeks. Sentencing will occur at a later date, with the prosecution requesting prison sentences ranging from 22 to 27 years.

In 2023, Spain reported 364 hate crimes related to sexual orientation or gender identity, with 184 arrests made, according to data from the Interior Ministry. However, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights notes that only a small fraction of hate crimes are actually reported.