The real story of the crime that shocked Spain
Summer, 1915. As the town of Moraleja celebrates its patron saint festivals, a group of individuals assaults the Malladas estate and murders five people with hatchets: a servant, two maids—one of them pregnant—and two little girls.
Five peasants were arrested for the crime, and although numerous witnesses claim the day laborers were working in Salamanca at the time of the incident, they were sentenced to life imprisonment.
The conviction of men many knew were innocent caused a stir in the newspapers and led the defense lawyer to start a very long campaign to free them. In the process, he turned to the highest authorities of the time: royalty and the Freemasons, who eventually got such recognized figures as Miguel de Unamuno to fight for them.
Unamuno received a report from lawyer Manuel Telo, stating that, on her deathbed, one of the victims identified “the Callejo brothers” as the real murderers.
Years later, one of them, Juan Callejo, was arrested for being caught red-handed trying to kidnap two minors. Despite the evidence, he was acquitted in a trial held under suspicious conditions.
In The Crime of Malladas, Luis Roso, a native of the town where the atrocity occurred, thoroughly investigates the historic crime and the subsequent judicial process, a complex plot full of unresolved mysteries that hid a network of child trafficking, bribes, and threats.
RELEVANT DATA: The Crime of Malladas is a real event that led to a notorious and scandalous judicial process that lasted for years and continues to be a topic of conversation today. All major current and contemporary newspapers have written about the horrifying crime, whose truth remains unknown. This work compiles in great detail everything known about the murder and the injustice committed. The rigor and sense of pace with which it is written has led to a significant number of sales.
What critics have said:
“One of the most gruesome and mysterious crimes in the history of the 20th century in Spain.” From Reader to Reader.
“A true crime from the time of Alfonso XIII that could hide a network of kidnappers and child molesters.” 20 Minutes.
“What happened […] is recounted with narrative agility, thorough research, and some speculation.” Herald.
AUDIOVISUAL POTENTIAL: TV Series, Miniseries, Film, TV Movie.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES: Spanish.
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