Anabel Segura: Timeline of Spain’s Longest Kidnapping 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.
To complement Netflix’s documentary, Lawyer Monthly provides a detailed timeline of Anabel Segura’s tragic case. From the moment of her abduction to the eventual arrest and prosecution of her captors, this timeline offers a clear and comprehensive breakdown of the key events surrounding Spain’s longest kidnapping.
April 12, 1993
- The Morning Jog:
- On a Monday morning, 22-year-old Anabel Segura leaves her home in La Moraleja, a wealthy suburb in northern Madrid, for a routine jog. She wears a tracksuit and listens to her Walkman, a typical part of her morning routine.
- The Abduction:
- At approximately 10:00 AM, a white van stops near Anabel. Two men, Emilio Muñoz Guadix and Candido Ortiz Añón, exit the vehicle and approach her. They threaten her with a knife, and despite her resistance, they overpower her.
- Witnesses later report that part of her tracksuit and her Walkman were left behind during the struggle.
- Witness Account:
- A janitor from a nearby school notices the commotion but is unable to provide a detailed description of the van, as he wasn’t wearing his glasses. Nonetheless, he immediately contacts the police, reporting that a young woman was forced into a van against her will.
- Transport and Captivity:
- The kidnappers drive Anabel approximately 50 kilometers to an abandoned factory in Numancia de la Sagra, Toledo. The building, isolated and derelict, becomes the site of her captivity.
- Anabel attempts to escape during her initial hours in captivity but is quickly subdued.
- Murder:
- Tragically, within six hours of her abduction, Anabel is killed. Reports indicate she was restrained and unable to resist further. Her murder goes undiscovered for over two years.
April 14, 1993
- First Contact with the Family:
- Two days after the abduction, the kidnappers make their first move, contacting the family’s lawyer, Rafael Escudero. They demand 150 million pesetas (approximately $945,000) as a ransom for Anabel’s release.
- During this conversation, the kidnappers attempt to convince the family that Anabel is alive, though she had already been murdered.
April – September 1993
- Ongoing Ransom Demands:
- Over the next five months, the kidnappers maintain sporadic contact with the Segura family. They make 14 calls, continuing to demand the ransom and insisting that Anabel is alive.
- Their strategy revolves around deception, using the family’s desperation to exploit them financially.
- Desperate Measures by the Family:
- The Segura family, especially Anabel’s father José Segura, becomes increasingly desperate.
- José mortgages the family home to raise funds for the ransom and offers a public reward of 15 million pesetas ($94,498) for information about Anabel’s whereabouts.
- Twice, the family attempts to deliver ransom payments at designated locations, but the kidnappers fail to appear.
July 1993
- Fake Recording Sent to the Family:
- In a calculated move, the kidnappers send a cassette tape to the Segura family. The tape contains a woman’s voice pretending to be Anabel, claiming to be safe and begging to come home.
- It is later revealed that the voice on the tape belongs to Felisa Garcia, the wife of one of the kidnappers, Emilio Muñoz Guadix.
1994 – 1995
- Law Enforcement’s Public Appeal:
- As leads grow cold, Spanish police make the unprecedented decision to release the audio tape to the public.
- They ask citizens to help identify the voices on the tape. This move attracts widespread media attention, turning the case into a national obsession.
September 1995
- Breakthrough in the Case:
- A resident of Escalona, Toledo, recognizes the voice of Candido Ortiz Añón from the publicized recording and contacts the authorities.
- Arrests:
- On September 28, 1995, police arrest Emilio Muñoz Guadix, Candido Ortiz Añón, and Felisa Garcia.
- Discovery of Anabel’s Remains:
- On September 30, 1995, police, acting on information provided by the suspects, discover Anabel’s remains near the abandoned factory where she was killed.
- The discovery occurs exactly 900 days after her disappearance, confirming the worst fears of her family and the public.
1996
- Trial and Sentencing:
- The Provincial Court of Toledo convicts Muñoz Guadix and Ortiz Añón of kidnapping, murder with treachery, illegal detention, and attempted fraud. They are sentenced to 39 years in prison.
- Felisa Garcia is sentenced to six months for her role in the crime, specifically for impersonating Anabel in the audio tape.
1997
- Supreme Court Decision:
- Upon appeal, Spain’s Supreme Court increases the sentences of Muñoz Guadix and Ortiz Añón to 43 years, citing the premeditated and heinous nature of the crime.
2009
- Ortiz Añón’s Death:
- Ortiz Añón dies of a heart attack at the age of 48 while serving his sentence at Ocaña prison in Toledo.
2013
- Release of Muñoz Guadix:
- After serving 18 years of his 43-year sentence, Muñoz Guadix is released from Herrera de La Mancha prison for good behavior.
- In interviews following his release, he expresses remorse, claiming his actions were motivated purely by financial desperation. He publicly apologizes to Anabel’s family.
November 22, 2023
- Netflix Docuseries Premiere:
- Netflix releases 900 Days Without Anabel, a three-part true crime docuseries directed by Mónica Palomero.
- The series provides unprecedented access to police recordings, family interviews, and detailed reconstructions of the crime.
- It sheds light on the psychological and emotional toll the case took on Anabel’s family and the nation as a whole.
