Svetlana Batukova was sentenced to 14 years in prison for the murder of her husband, Horst Hans Henkels, in 2018, but has had her appeal rejected by the Spanish courts
A woman in Majorca was sentenced to 14 years behind bars after being found guilty of killing her husband in a gruesome crime that sent shockwaves across the nation.
The body of Horst Hans Henkels was discovered in the home he shared with his wife Svetlana Batukova, with parts of his corpse having been partially consumed by the family dog.
Batukova, who hails from Russia, was 46-years-old at the time of the horrific murder. She later challenged the sentence she was initially handed, arguing there was insufficient evidence for a conviction.
Local media reported Batukova pointed the finger at the dog for Henkels’ death but this was debunked during the unfortunate victim’s post mortem which revealed he had bled out after sustaining multiple stab wounds.
The Spanish court backed the forensic evidence and dismissed her allegations. They then upheld the original sentence which she is currently serving, reports the Mirror US.
The grisly murder occurred in the family residence at Sant Llorenç in 2016 where German national, Horst Hans Henkels, 66, was repeatedly stabbed and parts of his arms were reportedly stripped down to the bone.
The flesh removed from Henkels’ arms was then eaten by the family’s pet, an American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, according to The Majorca Daily Bulletin.
The prolonged assault took place in the couple’s flat where Henkels was allegedly first drugged before later dying on the floor due to blood loss.
Henkels, who had recently undergone a surgical procedure on his trachea, was barely able to speak at the time of the attack and met his tragic end at the hands of his wife who used a kitchen knife in the horrific incident.
Police confirmed they had been called to the property several times in the months leading up to the death due to reports of domestic abuse.
The couple were believed to have been together for two years before tying the knot, just months before Henkels’ untimely death. Batukova was reportedly under the influence of drugs and alcohol when she was arrested.
Evidence presented during Batukova’s 2020 appeal detailed how she continued to cut her husband’s body until he died. She claimed that the couple’s dogs were responsible for Henkels’ death but her allegations were dismissed by forensic experts who were certain a knife was used in the killing.
Batukova’s defence team claimed there were irregularities during their client’s original trial and argued there wasn’t enough evidence to prove she had murdered her husband. These arguments were dismissed by the court who upheld Batukova’s original 14 year sentence.
During the initial investigation into Henkels’ murder, it emerged that his wife had allegedly offered money to a third party to kill her husband but decided to take matters into her own hands.