The crime in Los Galindos originated from an economic fraud in the Coduva cooperative, in which the Paradas olive farm was involved. The person responsible was a bribery expert, hired by several people involved in the scam, including the Marquis of Grañina, to silence foreman Manuel Zapata, who had discovered the fraud and planned to reveal it to the father of Mercedes Delgado, wife of the Marquis and owner of the land.
The author made a mistake when acting in front of the Marquis Gonzalo Fernández de Córdova and his administrator, known as Don Antonio.
The aggressor hit Zapata on the head with a “pajarita”, an iron bar from the packing plants, and stuck one of the hooks in him. Juanita Martín, his wife, witnessed the brutal attack.
The marquis’ son, Juan Mateo Fernández de Córdova, presents a recreation of the crimes that occurred on the farm on July 22, 1975 in his book “The crime of Los Galindos. The whole truth”, edited by Almuzara. This book offers new details about one of the great mysteries of the end of the Franco regime.
Contrary to popular belief, the crimes were not an act of passion nor were there any quarrels between the victims. Nobody attacked each other; Everyone was innocent, except for the foreman, Manuel Zapata, who had direct ties to those responsible for the tragedy. The others were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Fernández de Córdova proposes a hypothesis that seeks to change the perception of the victims by involving their own family.
The most widespread theory until now suggests a conflict between two couples, Zapata and Juanita against José González and Asunción Peralta, characterized by intense passions in the Andalusian rural environment. Zapata, a former civil guard, worked loyally for the rightful owner of the property, Don Manuel Delgado, father of Doña Mercedes.
