What happened to the girls who disappeared 30 years ago in Aguilar de Campoo and why the case is filed

Virginia Guerrero Espejo and Manuela Torres Bouggefa disappeared on April 23, 1992. They were 14 and 13 years old, respectively. They told their parents that they were going to a friend’s birthday in Aguilar del Campoo (Palencia), where they lived. In reality, they escaped to a nightclub in Reinosa (Cantabria), 32 kilometers away. Her friend Alicia had planned to go with them, although in the end she stayed at home. To go, they got on a train and spent three hours dancing in the premises, according to some witnesses. They were late and had no way to get back so they decided to hitchhike. A woman stated that she had seen them get into a white Seat 127 with three doors. She remembered that the driver was a young man in his twenties but she was unable to provide further details. They were never seen again. A case of the black history of Spain that has been compared to that of ‘the girls of Alcásser’, which occurred a few months later. The triple crime shocked public opinion. The bodies of Miriam, Toñi and Desirée were found buried in a grave. The main suspect, Antonio Anglés, fled and has not been located. His two brothers, who were also investigated, recently died, just a few days apart. Miguel Ricart was the only one convicted and has already been released from prison, after serving his sentence. Reopening of the case A woman appeared at the Civil Guard barracks in Aguilar del Campo in September 2021. She had seen the telecinco program ‘Viva la Vida’, a report remembering Virginia and Manuela. Another woman reported that a year before she had been the victim of an attempted kidnapping. The suspect always drove the same make and model vehicle. He wanted to record that something similar had happened to her and a friend of hers, 30 years ago. They had run away to another nearby town. They could not find a taxi to return home and a young man offered to take them in his car. They got on but realized that the man was driving in another direction and decided to get off in gear. They did not report it because they were minors and did not want to tell their parents. The cases had occurred in different provinces and with a prolonged separation in time. Even so, the armed institute opened a new line of investigation. They found nothing conclusive or reliable clues about the possible whereabouts of Virginia and Manuela. Seat 127 as the suspect NIUS The hope of the families The court had dismissed the case but the families do not lose hope of finding the girls, who are currently 44 and 45 years old. His lawyer filed an appeal with the Provincial Court last June, which was dismissed in September. The judge assures that she has tried to extend all the terms to continue looking for the adolescents. Even so, investigators have not found any evidence to support an investigation against any suspect or trace a specific place. Now the Constitutional Court has decided to archive it, although it can always be reopened if they find any evidence.