An American woman is believed to have died after having ‘extreme sex’ with her husband being strangled, it emerged today.
Jose Betancourt, 50, claims Bianca Pitman’s death was an accident that occurred while the couple played a hardcore game that simulated rape.
But the construction boss, who is also American, is in prison and an investigating judge specialized in gender violence has taken over the case, which has now been upgraded from manslaughter to murder.
Art teacher and mother of two Bianca, 43, reportedly left the couple’s home in San Antonio, Texas, in November to get away from her partner.
She is said to have started a new life in the town of Xativa near Valencia on the Costa Blanca.
The couple were staying together in a tourist apartment in Malaga on the Costa del Sol, where Bianca’s body was found early on Saturday morning after Betancourt traveled to Spain for a few days’ holiday.
Bianca Pitman, 43, secretly disappeared from her home in San Antonio, Texas, in November, allegedly to escape her husband Jose Betancourt, DailyMail.com revealed earlier this week
Betancourt, 50, is languishing in jail in Spain after a judge ruled Monday that he should be held without bail
Pitman’s body was found in an apartment in Malaga, Spain, with police initially believing ‘extreme sex’ led to her death
He allegedly left the apartment around 5:30 a.m. on April 6 to ask for help after his partner lost consciousness and became unresponsive.
He told first responders that they had been drinking alcohol, including injections, in the hours leading up to Pitman’s death and claimed she had also taken drugs before engaging in an “extreme sex” game.
Although the death was initially treated as manslaughter, it was upgraded to murder and Betancourt was sent to Alhaurin de la Torre prison near Malaga after an autopsy revealed that the victim had been strangled.
The investigating judge is now trying to determine whether Bianca was accidentally strangled during the sex game that her partner said she was engaged in, or whether he invented extreme role-playing as a cover.
A friend of the dead woman now has one GoFundMe appeal to support her family.
Organizer Grace Teeters said in the call: ‘It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we share the devastating news of the loss of Bianca Pitman, 43, a beloved mother, devoted teacher, animal lover and passionate traveler and artist.
‘Bianca’s life was tragically cut short on April 6, 2024 in Spain, where she had been teaching English since November.
“Her unexpected death has left an unimaginable void, not only in the lives of her family, but in the hearts of all who knew her.
“Bianca was not only a teacher, she was a beacon of light in her community and inspired countless students with her enthusiasm and love of art.
‘Her wanderlust was contagious and she always tried to share her adventures and stories with those around her, especially on Snapchat.
Pitman shown with her family on a GoFundMe page that has been set up
Pitman worked at MacArthur High School in San Antonio as an art teacher, where she gave a Q&A interview to the online newspaper when she joined
“She enjoyed spending quality time with her loved ones, and she loved trying new things.
‘But the unimaginable has happened.
‘Bianca is survived by daughter Promise, 22, and son Gavin, 20, as well as their older brother Graham, 25, who all now face the daunting task of navigating life without their beloved mother.
“Adding to the complexity of this heartbreaking situation, their father is currently facing charges in Spain in connection with her death.
“The circumstances surrounding this destruction are still under investigation. With both parents suddenly absent from their lives, the family is in dire need of support during this turbulent time.
“As we gather to honor Bianca’s memory, we humbly ask for your help.
“The costs associated with memorializing Bianca, including the costs of cremation and bringing her remains and personal belongings home, travel expenses, legal fees and numerous unforeseen costs, are significant and overwhelming for her grieving family.”
“Our goal is to alleviate some of the financial burdens weighing heavily on Bianca’s loved ones, especially her young adult children, two of whom are college students, as they cope with this loss.
“Your generosity will enable Bianca’s family to focus on their grief and serve as a testament to the charity and love Bianca has inspired in others.
‘Please consider donating if you can as any amount really helps. You too can help Bianca’s family through this difficult time by sharing this with your loved ones and everyone who knew her. Your kindness, compassion and generosity will serve as a beacon of hope in this time of darkness.”
Bianca had posted in late March showing she was in Valencia, Spain
Pitman spoke warmly about her family, saying: I love spending time with my kids, going to movies, reading books and playing with animals… “I love helping my daughter with her speech and debate stuff. I always love making art, that’s a given’
The late woman’s friend Valerie Dullnig said earlier this week about Bianca’s decision to leave her husband in the United States: ‘I was with her the day she left. She couldn’t share it with many people.’
Speaking to DailyMail.com, she claimed Jose was ‘blindsided’ by the decision: ‘She and Jose were not married, but because they were together for so long they had a common law marriage.
‘I had been in contact with her. She had to buy a new phone, which she didn’t share with many people.’
She added: “I don’t know how Jose found out where she was or why they met. But he has a lot of manipulative tactics.”
Bianca stayed with her husband in a luxury apartment complex in the heart of Malaga’s old town called The Clock House.
Friends said they did not know she had agreed to meet Betancourt in Malaga.
A court official said on Monday: ‘The investigating court number nine of Malaga, acting as a court of duty, this afternoon issued the pre-trial detention of the man arrested for the death of his wife.
‘He is an American citizen who is in principle under investigation on suspicion of murder.
“The court of duty will refer the case to a court specialized in violence against women, the court that will now take over this investigation.”
Betancourt is now officially an ‘investigator’ under Spanish law, which literally means that he is a person under investigation.
Formal charges are only filed in Spain shortly before the trial.
The ongoing criminal investigation will be conducted privately and is expected to last several months, but could take years.
Only trials in Spain take place in public. Pretrial detainees can be held behind bars for up to four years in the most extreme cases, although the normal term is two years and most are released on bail before the two years are up, although they must normally agree to strict parole conditions that include a travel ban and regular court filings.