Esther's disappearance
Esther López de la Rosa, 35, disappeared in Traspinedo, in the province of Valladolid, in the early hours of January 13, 2022. Her family raised the alarm and a large search followed. The early investigation examined the movements and accounts of several people who had been with Esther before she vanished; temporary investigative attention did not establish criminal responsibility.
The discovery of her body
On February 5, 2022, a passerby found a body near a road outside Traspinedo. Judicial authorities confirmed that it was Esther. Later forensic reporting made public through the court file indicated that she had suffered injuries consistent with being struck by a motor vehicle and died from internal bleeding. Those medical findings informed the investigation, but did not by themselves establish who was responsible or the final criminal classification.
The criminal case
Investigators eventually concentrated the case on Óscar S.M., who had been with Esther during the night she disappeared. The public prosecutor alleges murder with treachery and is seeking an 18-year prison sentence. The defense denies criminal responsibility and sought dismissal. These are adversarial positions, not settled facts.
By late 2025 the investigating court had ordered the matter toward a jury trial. Additional investigative work continued in 2026, including inspection and forensic testing connected to property linked to the accused's family.
A trial date is set
On September 2, 2026, the magistrate presiding over the jury proceedings at the Provincial Court of Valladolid fixed the facts to be submitted to jurors and set the trial calendar. The trial is scheduled to begin on February 2, 2027 and to run for at least 18 sessions into March because of the volume and complexity of the evidence.
Private prosecutors representing Esther's family have advanced additional or alternative legal theories. The defense maintains that the accused committed no crime in relation to Esther's death. Because the jury has not heard the evidence and no verdict has been reached, this dossier does not call the case solved and does not describe the accused as Esther's killer.
Why the title says “death,” not “murder”
Esther's death is established. Murder is the criminal classification alleged by prosecutors and remains to be decided at trial. If a future final judgment establishes murder, homicide, acquittal or another outcome, the case file should be updated accordingly.
Timeline
January 13, 2022: Esther disappears in Traspinedo after a night out.
February 5, 2022: her body is found near the municipality and judicial authorities confirm her identity.
2022–2025: forensic and digital evidence is examined and the criminal investigation increasingly centers on Óscar S.M.
December 2025: the court orders the case toward a jury trial rather than dismissal.
April 2026: investigators conduct additional inspection and forensic collection.
September 2, 2026: the Provincial Court announces a February 2, 2027 start date for the jury trial.
Current status
As of September 3, 2026, Esther López's death is unresolved in criminal-law terms. Óscar S.M. is the sole accused defendant scheduled to face a jury beginning February 2, 2027. No verdict has been reached, and he remains presumed innocent unless and until a court finds otherwise.
Sources
- RTVE — discovery and identification of Esther López's body, February 5, 2022
- RTVE — forensic findings and investigation overview, January 12, 2023
- Europa Press — order opening jury-trial proceedings, December 5, 2025
- Europa Press — trial date, charges and evidentiary posture, September 2, 2026
- RTVE — February 2027 jury-trial schedule and prosecution request, September 2, 2026