Cruz Martínez has been linked to a case of alleged family violence against singer Alicia Villarreal. The musician and music producer is accused of the crime of family violence, in its physical, psychological and patrimonial forms, against his ex-wife. The decision was confirmed by the prosecutor Diana Leticia Escobar Rocha, who also established a deadline of two months to carry out the complementary investigations of the case.
The hearing, initially scheduled in person at the Monterrey court, was then held via Zoom with the participation of the legal representatives of both parties. During the session, various precautionary measures were imposed against Martínez, such as the ban on approaching Villarreal, the restriction of frequenting the places she frequented and the obligation to appear before the judicial authorities every 15 days.
The singer’s legal advisors, Ulrich Richter and Agustín Liñán, confirmed the authorities’ decision. “The hearing lasted two hours and Alicia is happy,” Richter told the newspaper. Reform.
A case that has gained strength in public opinion
Alicia Villarreal’s complaint received widespread media attention after, in February, the singer made a gesture in full concert internationally known as a signal for help due to gender violence. The moment recorded at the end of a presentation in Michoacán went viral on social networks and raised the alarm of his followers.
According to the fact sheet of the initial complaint, the attack occurred at the singer’s home in the Cumbres sector of Monterrey, Nuevo León. Upon entering her bedroom, the singer was attacked by Martínez, who was allegedly hiding in the closet. Martínez stripped her of her belongings, cell phones, bank cards and official identification documents to keep her incommunicado. The singer managed to escape and receive medical treatment for her injuries.
Days later, Villarreal presented his complaint to the Special Prosecutor’s Office for feminicides and crimes committed against women. In February, Villarreal said in an interview with entertainment journalist Pati Chapoy that she had suffered physical and psychological abuse for years at the hands of Martínez, from whom she filed for divorce in 2021 after a two-decade relationship and two children together.
The ongoing process
The investigation of Cruz Martínez for the crime of family violence will take place over the next two months and the protection measures for Alicia Villarreal will remain in place.
After learning of his connection to the trial, Martínez released a statement to thank the support of those who have followed his legal case and stressed that two of the three charges against him – attempted femicide and robbery – have been rejected and that “he is just starting the legal path to deny the last one that remains of them, that is, the alleged family violence,” he said.
The case takes place in a national context in which violence against women remains an alarming problem. In Mexico, seven out of ten women have suffered violence, according to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
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