Four Men Sentenced For Homophobic Murder In Spain
Four years ago in July 2021, a violent, homophobic attack resulted in the death of a young nursing assistant named Samuel Luizattack. It was a crime that shocked Spain almost. This case sparked outrage and brought an entire community together in grief and anger.
Condemnen a penes de fins a 24 anys de presó els assassins de Samuel Luiz, el noi homosexual a qui van matar el 2021 a La Corunya en una pallissa entre crits homòfobshttps://t.co/PhN8HE2RVO pic.twitter.com/2HDNXlczyI
— Catalunya Informació (@Catinformacio) January 8, 2025
Samuel, who was 24 years old, stepped out of a nightclub near the city’s waterfront to make a video call. Two passersby accused him of recording them, even though he was actually chatting with a friend. Moments later, one of the men attacked him and left his face badly bruised.
Five minutes after that, a group, reportedly led by the same attacker, returned and beat Samuel until he lost consciousness. He died soon after in hospital.
On Wednesday, a court in A Coruña handed down lengthy sentences. Three of the men named in court records as Diego Montaña, Alejandro Freire and Kaio Amaral received terms of 24 years, 20 years, and a little over 20 years. A fourth man, identified as Alejandro Míguez, was given 10 years for acting as an accomplice.
The judge described Montaña’s extreme cruelty, noting he used slurs linked to Samuel’s identity and threatened to kill him. The violence was vicious, with more than 30 separate injuries noted in the postmortem.
İspanya, 24 yaşında uğradığı saldırı sonucu öldürülen hemşire yardımcısı Samuel Luiz için sokaklara döküldü! Luiz geçtiğimiz Cumartesi günü bir bar çıkışında 12 erkek tarafından saldırıya uğradı ve kaldırıldığı hastanede hayatını kaybetti. #SamuelLuiz pic.twitter.com/coZ2MZkhFP
— Gmag (@gmagturkiye) July 7, 2021
“Stop Filming or I’ll Kill You”
Witnesses recalled how the killers left Samuel lying on a roundabout in the middle of the city. The court acknowledged his family’s deep grief. They were awarded compensation of €303,000 ($310,332) for their suffering. Spain’s prime minister reflected public sentiment when he called this murder “savage and merciless.”
The attack led to rallies across Spain. Crowds filled streets in places like Madrid, Barcelona, and A Coruña itself. Signs read “your homophobia is killing us.” People demanded justice and promised to keep fighting discrimination at every step.
The sentences can still be appealed, but many hope the outcome sends a strong message. This brutal act caused shock and sadness, yet it also spurred calls for meaningful change.
