Two men are set to stand trial over the killing of an 80-year-old US priest who was found dead inside a tourist flat in Malaga.
A court has ordered the opening of proceedings in connection with the killing of Richard Gross, who was found dead in January 2025.
The two defendants, who will face a jury trial, are accused of murder and violent robbery in an inhabited property following a lengthy investigation.
The victim had arrived in Malaga to spend several days on holiday and had rented an apartment in the city’s historic centre.
Investigators believe the two suspects spotted the priest arriving by taxi on Calle Carreteria and carrying a suitcase.
According to court documents, the duo decided to follow him with the intention of stealing valuables.
The prosecution claims that once the priest opened the apartment door, one suspect allegedly remained outside acting as a lookout while the other entered the property behind the victim.
The accused is alleged to have attacked the priest ‘suddenly from behind’ before covering his airways until he suffocated.
The court says the 80-year-old died from mechanical asphyxiation.
After the attack, the suspect allegedly stole the priest’s suitcase and mobile phone before fleeing the scene with the second man.
One of the accused was arrested shortly afterwards by Policía Nacional officers.
The second suspect allegedly stole a car while attempting to evade capture after learning police were searching for him. He was later arrested in Sevilla in March 2025.
Both men have remained in pre-trial detention since their arrests.
The investigation relied heavily on autopsy findings, CCTV footage from the surrounding streets and witness testimony gathered during the inquiry.
Fundacion Española de Abogados Cristianos, which is acting as a private prosecution in the case, is seeking 15 years in prison for each defendant for murder, alongside additional penalties linked to robbery and vehicle theft offences.
Its president, Polonia Castellanos, described the killing as ‘brutal’ and claimed the priest’s age and vulnerability had been exploited.
‘We are not dealing with a simple robbery, but a crime of enormous cruelty,’ she said in a statement.
The case will now proceed to trial, where a popular jury will decide the criminal responsibility of the two accused men.
