Elena Gocmen Rueda
POLICE have ruled out that a serial killer is behind a spate of four recent murders of women in the Valencia region.
It comes after the Guardia Civil arrested a well known wealthy businessman on suspicion of murdering a 19-year-old prostitute Florina Gogos.
Her body was found strangled and dumped in a ditch in Albufera natural park on January 30.
Police confirmed they have arrested 60-year-old Jose VR at his home in Carcaixent after being traced through CCTV footage.
The footage showed him picking up the Romanian sex worker in his car at 5.30pm on the day she went missing.
The car was later seen driving off from the same area, near Silla, at top speed about 20 minutes later.
Police were unable to pick up the driving licence of the car as it was raining so heavily on the day.
The businessman, who was taken to the police station wearing shorts and a yellow polo shirt, is the owner of a chemical company in Carcaixent, who owns at least two homes in the region.
He had no criminal record, although he had been a frequent client of Gogos and other prostitutes in the Albal area for some time.
Police insist he is not being investigated in connection with any of the other three recent murders.
In each case, the women were also found strangled and dumped on wasteland, fueling fears that a serial killer was on the loose.
The body of 43-year-old Olga Pardo was discovered on April 6 in a canal outside Massarrojos, while Johana Andrea A.G was discovered dumped near a countryside path outside Burriana on April 22.
Meanwhile, Alicia Valera, a 45-year-old civil servant, was found dead in a shallow water channel 200 metres from her home in La Hoya, in November.
“We have ruled out the possibility that a serial killer is operating in the Valencian Community,” a police statement said.
“We have confirmed that there is no relationship between the cases,” it continued.
READ MORE:
- Second sex worker goes missing on main road in Spain’s Valencia three months after murder of 19-year-old prostitute
- Missing teenage prostitute found dead in irrigation ditch near Valencia
- Teenage prostitute goes missing in Valencia
