Father of Murdered Spanish Student Arrives in Mexico to Identify Her Body

The father of a 21-year-old Spanish exchange student who was killed in Mexico has arrived in the state of Morelos to identify his daughter’s body, following the arrest of a suspect in connection with her death.

Claudia Tacoronte, a student from Spain’s University of Granada, was stabbed to death on September 12 in the city of Cuautla. Mexican authorities said the attack occurred during an attempted cellphone robbery.

Authorities arrested a suspect identified as Francisco Javier “N” on Thursday. Mexican prosecutors are treating the case as femicide, which refers to the killing of a woman because of her gender.

Morelos State Prosecutor Fernando Blumenkron said prosecutors would seek the maximum sentence of 70 years in prison if the suspect is convicted. He said the suspect had previously been arrested for burglary and had served time in prison.

The case has sparked anger in both Mexico and Spain, with students calling for stronger protection for women. Spanish newspaper El País, citing sources close to the investigation, reported that the suspect had confessed to the killing.

Official data shows that Morelos recorded 21 femicides between January and July 2026, while 380 were registered across Mexico during the same period.

Tacoronte arrived in Mexico in mid-August as part of an exchange programme at the Autonomous University of the State of Morelos.

Following her death, Spain’s Foreign Ministry advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel to Morelos because of concerns over drug-related violence and kidnappings. The University of Granada also canceled exchange placements for three students who were scheduled to study in Morelos next semester.

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