Natalia Penza
Murder squad detectives are investigating the violent death of a woman found semi-buried on a popular Spanish holiday beach.
A couple out walking their dog alerted cops after making the grim discovery at the beautiful Atlantic beach of Sancti Petri a short distance from the city of Cadiz.
The Guardia Civil confirmed on Tuesday they were still trying to identify the victim, who is believed to be aged around 50.
Her body was decomposing when it was discovered on Sunday around 11am and her gender was only confirmed following a post-mortem.
She had suffered several blows to the head. One unconfirmed local report said the murder was being treated as a possible case of gender violence inflicted on the woman by her partner or ex.
The exact spot where the discovery was made is 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 which around 500 people participated in was taking place at the time.
Local police, paramedics and the Guardia Civil were called to the scene.
Well-placed sources said on Tuesday the autopsy had established the dead woman’s body had been in the spot where it was found between six and 10 days because of the state of decomposition.
One said: “It was most probably buried under the sand before being exposed over time.”
A spokesman for the Guardia Civil in Cadiz said this morning: “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.”