Jilted Spaniard linked to murder of Russian girlfriend

A 30-year-old Russian woman, who died in Spain on Monday, was killed by her ex-boyfriend after she jilted him on TV. That's according to the Spanish newspaper El Mundo. Police have arrested the alleged killer but are refusing to release details on the ca

The paper said 30-year-old Svetlana knew that her ex-boyfriend Ricardo was a dangerous man, and talked about their relationship on air just days before her death.

Svetlana died on November 19 in an Alicante hospital from a knife wound to the neck.  She leaves a two-year-old son. The boy, whose father is not Ricardo, is in the care of Spanish authorities.

Svetlana moved to Spain eight years ago, in search of happiness. But her relationship with Ricardo, according to newspapers, could hardly be described as happy. The press claims her boyfriend had a violent temper and treated her badly. After four years together, Svetlana turned to the Spanish authorities, saying her boyfriend repeatedly assaulted her, and she needed protection.

Just weeks before her murder, says the Spanish daily El Pais, Ricardo was sentenced to 11 months in prison for battery, and was instructed not to come within 500 metres of Svetlana.

But on November 14 he ended up in the same television studio as her during a talk-show. The paper says the host provoked the man by bringing him on the show, where he intended to patch up the relationship.