Woman dies after being set on fire by hitmen hired by husband in Madrid

A 30-year-old woman, identified as Aisha, has died after more than five months in hospital following an attack in which two hitmen set her on fire on the orders of her husband in Sevilla la Nueva, Madrid. Her death brings the number of women killed by gender-based violence in Spain in 2026 to 29, the third in the Madrid region, and 1,370 since records began in 2003 Source: Milenio.

The attack

The assault occurred on 2 February when two men, allegedly employees of the victim's husband, entered the family home using a key provided by him. They beat Aisha, doused her with an accelerant, and set her alight while she held her six-month-old baby. The baby was unharmed, but the initial investigation treated it as a double attempted murder Source: El Mundo. The attackers fled in a car belonging to the husband Source: El Español.

Investigation and prior threats

On 23 March, the Guardia Civil arrested three people: the husband, Ibrahim B., as the alleged mastermind, and two men as the material perpetrators. All three remain in pre-trial detention Source: Infobae. According to judicial documents, the husband had previously tried to poison Aisha, and her brother provided a video showing him manipulating a drink. The husband even expressed a desire to finish her off while she was hospitalized under police protection Source: El Mundo. Aisha had not filed a formal complaint, so she was not in the VioGen protection system Source: La Vanguardia. The motive appears to be Aisha's decision to separate after discovering infidelity Source: El Español.