The murder of Antonio Navarro in 2017, which took place in the Patraix neighborhood of Valencia, has once again captured headlines across Spain.

The recent debut of the Netflix film 'La viuda negra', based on this true story, has reignited public interest in a case that shocked the nation due to the calculated nature of the crime and the complex emotional dynamics involved.

The film, directed by Carlos Sedes, depicts the murder orchestrated by María Jesús Moreno, known as Maje, and carried out by her lover, Salvador Rodrigo.

The events leading to Navarro’s murder unfolded on August 16, 2017. At approximately 7:40 AM, the 36-year-old engineer was ambushed in a garage where he had parked his car.

He was brutally stabbed six times, resulting in immediate fatal injuries to his lungs and heart.

The crime scene, devoid of security cameras and shrouded in privacy, along with its timing during a holiday weekend, suggested to investigators that the attack had been premeditated.

According to the prosecution, this was described as "the perfect plan."

Around 3:30 PM on the day of the murder, a neighbor discovered Navarro's body and reported it to the authorities.

Meanwhile, Maje appeared to maintain normalcy by sending messages to her deceased husband’s phone, despite already being aware of his death.

The couple lived just a short distance from the crime scene and were approaching their first wedding anniversary.

Initial investigations ruled out robbery as a motive since the garage showed no signs of forced entry and Navarro's belongings were untouched.

The violent nature of the attack and the careful choice of the location prompted authorities to consider alternative explanations.

Maje was interrogated shortly after arriving at the crime scene.

In her statement, she claimed to have just left work and found the police presence shocking.

However, investigators noted her demeanor and inconsistencies in her account as suspicious.

She described her husband as controlling and possessive, despite previously asserting their marriage was healthy.

Maje suggested the possibility of a robbery gone wrong, claiming that Antonio could have confronted an assailant.

Within days, the investigation took an unexpected turn when Maje confessed to the inspector in charge of the case that she had not told the whole truth.

Confidential conversations with her close friend revealed the existence of an extramarital affair with a man named José.

Maje admitted to spending nights with her lover, including the night before Antonio's murder, assuring authorities that José was unaware of her marital status.

However, the focus of the investigation soon shifted to Salvador Rodrigo, a fellow hospital employee, who turned out to be Maje's accomplice.

Police wiretaps revealed a close, intimate relationship between Maje and Salvador, suggesting a direct connection to the homicide.

On December 28, under police surveillance, Maje and Salvador met at a café where they unwittingly discussed the murder.

They were arrested shortly after this meeting.

Salvador confessed to committing the crime alone, claiming he had acted out of fear for Maje’s safety, using keys given to him by Maje to access the garage.

Initially, Maje acknowledged planning the murder with Salvador but later amended her statement, claiming she thought Salvador intended only to scare Antonio.

Despite her attempts to distance herself from the act, evidence, including cell phone records placing both Maje and Salvador together around the time of the murder, mounted against them.

Both defendants were charged with murder and held in a Valencia prison, where they maintained contact through letters to avoid detection.

Salvador, unable to tolerate reports of Maje's interactions with other men in prison, later revised his account, asserting that Maje had orchestrated the murder, providing new details surrounding the crime.

Investigators discovered motives that combined emotional and financial considerations; Maje stood to gain significantly from her husband's death, including a life insurance payout of 47,000 euros and a widow's pension exceeding 1,000 euros monthly.

Statements made prior to the murder suggested a preoccupation with the prospect of Antonio's death.

The trial began three years after the murder in Valencia's Ciudad de la Justicia, attracting substantial media attention and a large gathering of journalists.

Maje denied having planned the murder but admitted to covering for Salvador out of fear, while Salvador maintained that Maje was the mastermind behind the plot.

On October 30, the jury reached a verdict after six hours of deliberations, finding both Maje and Salvador guilty.

In subsequent sentencing, Maje received a prison sentence of 22 years for murder with aggravating circumstances, while Salvador was sentenced to 17 years, facilitated by his confession.

Both were ordered to pay significant compensation to Navarro’s family, marking the conclusion of one of Spain's most notorious recent criminal cases.