After more than three years of waiting, Spanish justice delivered its verdict this Sunday, November 24, in the case of the homophobic murder of Samuel Luiz. This young 24-year-old nurse’s assistant was brutally killed in July 2021 in La Coruña, in the northwest of Spain. Four men were found guilty and face sentences of up to 27 years in prison. Their lawyers, however, announced their intention to appeal, pending the final judgment.
Beaten to death
On the night of July 2 to 3, 2021, Samuel Luiz was leaving a nightclub when he was violently attacked by a group of individuals. The latter, wrongly convinced that Samuel was filming them, attacked him after uttering homophobic insults. In reality, the young man was having a simple video conference. The attack was so brutal that he died a few hours later.
This atrocious murder deeply marked Spain, triggering a wave of national indignation. Thousands of people mobilized to demand « Justice pour Samuel » with slogans like: “These are not blows, these are assassinations”, “Stop homophobia”, “All I want is to live” or even “They are killing us”.
Three accused found guilty of aggravated murder and a fourth of complicity
The trial, which took place over 21 days, established the responsibility of four adult men. Diego Montaña, named as the ringleader, as well as Alejandro Freire and Kaio Amaral Silva, all three found guilty of aggravated premeditated murder. The fourth, Alejandro Míguez, was found to be an accomplice. Amaral was further convicted of stealing the victim’s phone during the attack.
The required sentences vary between 13 and 27 years in prison, highlighting the seriousness of the acts described as “inhumane” by the courts. Furthermore, Catherine Silva, a woman involved in the case, was acquitted despite her role in obstructing the victim’s rescue. Note that two minors had already been convicted in this case.
National awareness
This case recalls the worrying reality of homophobic crimes in Spain, where 364 hateful acts linked to sexual orientation were reported in 2023 according to the Ministry of the Interior. Irene Montero, former Minister for Equality, stressed that “LGTBIphobia that kills starts with hateful comments or “jokes”.”
For LGBTQI+ associations, this verdict constitutes progress, with official recognition of the homophobic nature of the crime. However, they insist on the need to strengthen prevention and awareness policies to eradicate hatred and protect fundamental rights.
Samuel Luiz will forever remain a symbol of this fight against intolerance and violence.
