A British man charged with murder for the crazed stabbing of his wife in their Costa del Sol flat has died in hospital and will be given a pauper’s funeral.
David Cadwallader, 80, died less than a month after being taken into custody following the brutal murder of his wife Lesley.
Reports from the time said she called emergency services in a desperate SOS call to say she had been stabbed four times before the line went down.
Her husband, who was thought to have Alzheimer’s disease, was discovered lying on a bed in their beachfront apartment in Torremolinos and arrested after police broke in with the help of firefighters.
A judge decided to send him to prison while he continued to investigate him in the November 4 murder, although officials confirmed at the time that he had been transferred to a specialist psychiatric ward.
The front door of the couple’s £130,000 first floor flat was sealed with police tape after the horror stab with a warning sign reading ‘Do Not Enter’.
David Cadwallader, 80, died less than a month after being taken into custody. He was facing a murder charge for the crazed stabbing of his wife in their flat on the Costa del Sol
It emerged today that Mr Cadwallader had passed away in early December, although news of his passing has only just been confirmed.
Well-placed sources said a court was still waiting for his pauper’s funeral, which would be paid for by his local town hall as he was penniless, to be approved before terminating plans to try him if he was found fit for prosecution .
Although the expatriate was officially placed under investigation, he had yet to be formally charged with any crime at the time of his death.
A court official said: ‘The British man who was arrested over the violent death of his wife last November at their home in Torremolinos died on December 2.
Because he did not have sufficient financial resources, the court is waiting for the approval of his funeral paid by the municipality.
“After that, the case against him will be stayed.”
Another insider added: “There is a good chance he would have been charged with murder, but his death means there is no possibility of prosecution now. Because of his death he is now beyond the reach of the courts.’
The cause of Mr Cadwallader’s death has not been made public, although there is no indication that there was anything suspicious about it.
A Spanish Prison Service source confirmed that Mr Cadwallader had died in hospital after a spell in prison, pointing out that this was due to natural causes.
The hospital where he died has no name, but is believed to be in Malaga, near where he lived with his 69-year-old wife.
Police had to call the fire service to gain access to the couple’s flat after the murdered Lesley, believed to be originally from Kent like her husband, made a desperate emergency call after being stabbed several times with a knife.
A neighbor of the couple in the 12-storey 1970s apartment building confirmed at the time that police had made a failed attempt to smash the door before gaining access through another entrance at the back
The weapon was seized on the spot.
Detectives revealed after Mr Cadwallader’s arrest that prior to the night of the fatal stabbing, he had been detained three times for alleged domestic violence, but was released each time because his wife decided not to press charges.
The police said in statements at the time: ‘An 80-year-old man allegedly killed his 69-year-old wife.
The victim suffered several stab wounds with a knife. The suspected killer has been arrested.
“It appears he has a mental illness with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease.
In recent months, the suspected killer had been arrested three times for domestic violence.
According to police reports, he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.
His wife decided not to uphold her complaints in court and the cases were filed. She never asked for protective measures.’
Mr Cadwallader was sent to prison on November 7 last year after appearing before a judge in a closed court hearing after three nights in a police cell.
The front door of the couple’s £130,000 first floor flat was sealed with police tape after the horror stab with a warning sign reading ‘Do Not Enter’.
The door frame was badly damaged in a clear sign that officers responding to the stabbing victim’s 911 call had attempted to enter.
A neighbor of the couple in the 12-storey 1970s apartment building, which used to be an aparthotel, confirmed that police at the time made a failed attempt to vandalize it before gaining access through another entrance at the back.
Police had to call the fire brigade to gain access to the couple’s flat after the murdered Lesley made a desperate emergency call after being stabbed several times with a knife
He added: ‘They’ve lived here for ages, probably 30 years or so.
“I had heard they were both heavy drinkers and the police had been there before to deal with what I assume was domestic disputes.
‘Many foreigners live in this block and I know that they used to help newcomers find their way here.
“I’ve never seen younger people visiting who might be related and I was told they had already decided to donate their flat to an animal shelter when they died.”
Another neighbor said: ‘I didn’t hear any screaming or fighting before the police arrived.
“They tried to break down the door but couldn’t get through and entered through a back entrance.
“It’s so horrible that it ended like this.”