Skull found in shopping bag leads to murderer being caught six years later after chopping up victim’s body

THE discovery of a human skull hidden in plastic bags has led to the arrest of a killer who dismembered his victim over six years ago. During the lockdown in the spring of 2020, 59-year-old Francisco José Agüera vanished without a trace from a municipality in Málaga, Spain. The skull of missing person, Francisco José Agüera, was found in a drain wrapped in plastic bags Credit: Guardia Civil Francisco, 59, went missing in spring 2020 Credit: Missing Persons His disappearance remained a mystery until June 2025, when municipal workers pulled a human skull hidden inside plastic bags from a drain in Alhaurín de la Torre, 20km west of Málaga. The skull had a fracture indicating a violent death, according to the cops. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The grim discovery prompted an investigation which allowed cops to identify the skull as that of Francisco’s. The Civil Guard later arrested a man on July 28. Municipal workers made the grim discovery during a clearing exercise Credit: Guardia Civil Following an investigation a man was arrested for Francisco’s murder Credit: Guardia Civil When questioned the accused murderer broke down and confessed to the sickening killing of the missing man. He admitted to murdering Francisco in his home on Coín, 35km from Malaga. Francisco’s body was then dismembered and placed into plastic bags and distributed at various locations within the local area. The man later personally led investigators to several of the sites where he had disposed of the remains. Most read in The Sun Now recovered, the remains are awaiting genetic analysis for final comparison. Back in 2020, the alarm was raised by his family and friends after they had not heard from him since late April. A missing persons appeal was launched but without success. Municipal workers were clearing a plot of land in the Pinos de Alhaurín residential area, when they made the shocking discovery. The skull was subjected to genetic analysis, which in February 2026 allowed investigators to identify the deceased. The cops then began analysing Francisco’s communications and refocused their investigation on his social and personal circle. They were eventually led to the suspect – an acquaintance of the deceased. The man was brought before the court at the end of last week where he exercised his right to remain silent. He was later ordered to be held in pretrial detention without bail. He is accused of homicide. Comment now