900 Days Without Anabel: The Harrowing Tale of Spain’s Longest Missing Persons Case.
900 Days Without Anabel, the newest three-part true crime documentary series from Netflix, explores the case of a missing person that stands as the longest kidnapping in Spain's history.
Anabel Segura was only 22 years old when she was abducted in Madrid in 1993. The new three-part true crime docuseries, 900 Days Without Anabel, produced by Netflix, explores the case of her disappearance, which stands as the longest kidnapping incident in Spain's history.
Anabel Segura was taken by Emilio Muñoz Guadix and Candido Ortiz Añón in 1993. For almost three years, the nation remained on edge as law enforcement tirelessly sought to uncover the fate of both her and her abductors. Directed and co-written by Mónica Palomero, the series offers viewers unprecedented access to recordings made by police during their negotiations with Segura's captors.
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The documentary also sheds light on the extensive blackmail endured by her family, including 14 phone calls from the kidnappers between 1993 and 1995. 900 Days Without Anabel is set to premiere on November 22 on the streaming platform, adding to Netflix's portfolio of international true crime narratives, which includes The Asunta Case and The Man with 1000 Kids.
Who was Anabel Segura?
Anabel Segura Foles was a 22-year-old resident of La Moraleja, an upscale neighborhood in Alcobendas, situated within the Community of Madrid.
She was the eldest daughter of José Segura Nájera, a businessman involved in the petrochemical industry, and Sigrid Foles, her German mother. At the time of her abduction, Segura was pursuing her studies in business at ICADE university.
Anabel Segura
Who were José Segura Nájera and Sigrid Foles? parents of kidnapped Anabel Segura
José Segura Nájera was a Spanish entrepreneur involved in the petrochemical sector. He initially launched a business in Germany before relocating to Spain with his family. José was instrumental in the search for his daughter Anabel following her abduction. He undertook significant measures to ensure her safe return, which included remortgaging his home and offering considerable rewards for any information.
Additionally, José engaged private firms to assist in the investigation of his daughter's case. Sigrid Foles was Anabel's mother. Originally from Germany, she relocated to Spain with her husband José after he set up his business in her native country. Anabel was the eldest daughter of Sigrid and José. At the time of Anabel's kidnapping, Sigrid was in Marbella with their younger daughter, Sandra.
What happened to Anabel?
On the morning of April 12, 1993, Segura was kidnapped while jogging in her neighborhood in northern Madrid. Dressed in a tracksuit and listening to her Walkman, she was approached by Muñoz Guadix and Ortiz Añón, who emerged from a white van and threatened her with a knife.
Despite her resistance, which resulted in the loss of part of her tracksuit and her Walkman during the struggle, she was ultimately forced into the van as her captors drove away. A janitor from a nearby school witnessed the abduction but was unable to identify the van's license plate due to not having his glasses. He promptly contacted the police following the incident.
Who were her kidnappers?
Emilio Muñoz Guadix, a delivery driver for a parcel service, had relocated from Vallecas, Madrid, to the municipality of Pantoja in Toledo with his wife, Felisa Garcia, and their children. Ortiz Añón, a childhood friend of Muñoz Guadix, had moved to Escalona, Toledo, where he worked as a plumber.
Was Anabel murdered?
After her abduction, Segura was held captive in an abandoned factory located in Toledo, approximately an hour from Madrid. She made an unsuccessful attempt to escape, and according to reports from laSexta, she was killed six hours later. Her remains were subsequently buried near the abandoned factory in Numancia de la Sagra.
The kidnappers of Segura maintained the illusion that she was alive for over two years in a bid to extort money from her affluent family. Just two days following her abduction and subsequent murder, Muñoz Guadix and Ortiz Añón initiated contact with lawyer Rafael Escudero, who represented Segura's family, demanding a ransom of 150 million Spanish pesetas, equivalent to $945,000. Between April and September 1993, the kidnappers reached out to Segura’s family on 14 occasions to solicit funds for her release.
At one point, her father even mortgaged their home and offered 15 million pesetas, or $94,498, to anyone who could provide information regarding his daughter's whereabouts. On at least two occasions, family representatives arrived at designated meeting spots to deliver the ransom, but the kidnappers failed to appear.
Three months after Segura's death, Muñoz Guadix and Ortiz Añón sent a tape to her family, which purportedly contained a recording of the 22-year-old's voice. In the audio, a woman claimed to be “fine” and pleaded to be taken home. However, it was later disclosed that the individual impersonating Segura on the tape was actually Muñoz Guadix’s wife, Garcia.
In a groundbreaking move for Spain, law enforcement decided to make the recording public, seeking assistance in identifying the voices captured on the tape. A resident of Escalona recognized Ortiz Añón's voice upon hearing the recording on television and alerted the authorities. On September 28, 1995, police apprehended Ortiz Añón, Muñoz Guadix, and his wife. Segura’s remains were ultimately discovered on September 30, 900 days after her abduction, in an abandoned warehouse.
Where are Anabel’s kidnappers now?
After their apprehension, Muñoz Guadix and Ortiz Añón received sentences of 39 years in prison from the Provincial Court of Toledo, a term that was later increased to 43 years by the Supreme Court. In contrast, Garcia was sentenced to six months in prison for concealing the kidnapping and for impersonating Segura in the recorded evidence.
As reported by La Vanguardia, the kidnappers faced charges that included aggravating factors of treachery, illegal detention, and attempted fraud. Ortiz Añón spent the initial decade of his sentence at the Ocaña prison in Toledo, where he passed away in 2009 due to a heart attack at the age of 48.
Muñoz Guadix was held at the Herrera de La Mancha prison in the Ciudad Real province, situated south of Toledo, and was released in 2013 after completing 18 years of his sentence. Upon his release, Muñoz stated in an interview that he posed no threat to society and expressed remorse for his actions. In a conversation with laSexta, he clarified that his motivations were "purely economic."
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He stated, "I committed a grave error, which I acknowledged immediately, in contrast to others, and that is the reality." He continued, "I express my sincere apologies; I deeply regret the events that transpired. I conveyed this in court, and I would willingly sacrifice ten years of my life to prevent this from occurring."
The docuseries "900 Days Without Anabel" will be available on Netflix starting November 22.
Alcobendas unveils a bust in tribute to Anabel Segura with the presence of her family
