Fugitive Officer Detained
Ex-Mallorca Police Officer Arrested at Barajas After 18 Months on Run for Wife's Attempted Murder
A former local police officer from Mallorca who fled to Thailand after being convicted of attempted murder has been arrested at Madrid's Barajas Airport, according to La Opinión de Málaga. Julián Casellas Verdera, 59, spent roughly a year and a half as a fugitive before being intercepted on his return to Spain in late May 2026.
Casellas had been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison for trying to strangle his wife, Fabiola Ferrer, with a scarf in 2018. He removed his court-ordered electronic monitoring bracelet on December 30, 2024, left it at home, and boarded a flight from Mallorca to Vienna and then on to Bangkok, El Periódico reported.
From Strangling Attack to Seven-Year Sentence
On March 8, 2018, Casellas became aggressive after his wife said she wanted to go out with friends. He dragged her to the bedroom and choked her with a scarf until she lost consciousness. She only survived by kicking him and running to a neighbor's house, Diario de Ibiza reported.
In October 2024, the Audiencia Provincial de Baleares sentenced him to 7.5 years for attempted homicide. The court described it as a "clear intention to end her life." He was also ordered to pay Ferrer €6,600 in damages and was hit with a 10-year restraining order. Despite the conviction, he was granted provisional liberty while he appealed the sentence.
Bracelet Alarm Triggered But No One Came
On December 28, 2024, Casellas began tampering with his bracelet. The VioGén alarm system — Spain's electronic monitoring network for domestic violence cases — triggered a warning. But the Civil Guard reportedly conducted no immediate physical check after seeing the device was still active, according to Levante-EMV.
Two days later, on December 30, Casellas removed the bracelet, left it at home, and flew out. Victim Fabiola Ferrer told the press she was living in "constant terror" and "anxiety," saying: "Until he is in prison, I will not feel safe." Her lawyer, Miquel Fiol, criticized the justice system for letting a convicted attempted murderer walk free during an appeal.
Spain's VioGén Bracelet System Under National Scrutiny
The Casellas case hit a raw nerve in Spain. Between 2024 and 2025, the country switched its electronic monitoring service from Telefónica to a joint venture of Vodafone and Securitas. The transition caused data loss and "blind spots" where the locations of high-risk offenders went untracked, El Periódico Mediterráneo reported. There were 4,515 active monitoring bracelets in Spain as of late 2025, and the Ministry of Equality received 54 formal complaints about bracelet malfunctions during the transition period.
Minister of Equality Ana Redondo defended the system, calling the failures "specific technical incidents." The conservative opposition attacked her, claiming "AliExpress-quality" bracelets were being used to protect women — a charge the government denied. The Ministry has since launched an audit into the transition to close the gaps that allowed Casellas to board a plane unnoticed, according to La Opinión de Murcia.
Extradition Stalled in Bangkok, Then a Surprise Return
Interpol located Casellas in Thailand on April 17, 2025. Spain began formal extradition proceedings, but the process moved slowly. As late as May 20, 2026, the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs asked Spain for a translated copy of the original sentence, saying the initial paperwork was not enough to proceed, El Día reported.
Then, in a surprise move in late May 2026, Casellas returned to Spain on his own and was arrested at Barajas Airport. On June 3, 2026, authorities confirmed he had been transferred to a Madrid prison to start serving his sentence. He now faces additional charges for breaking the terms of his court order and for damaging the monitoring bracelet, according to LNE.
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