The Asunta Case brings to light the unsettling real-life tragedy of Asunta Basterra’s murder, which took place in Spain. The series, created by Ramón Campos, Gema R. Neira, Jon de la Cuesta, and David Orea Arribas, is a deep dive into the investigation that surrounds the death of 12-year-old Asunta Basterra.
Her body was discovered on September 22, 2013, on a road in Galicia, Spain. Asunta was reported missing by her adoptive parents, Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra, hours before her body was found. The investigation quickly escalated after CCTV footage contradicted Rosario’s version of events.
The search for truth in the case of Asunta Basterra’s murder (Photo: The Asunta Case/Bambú Producciones/Netflix)This led to the arrests of both Porto and Basterra on September 24 and 25, 2013.
The Events Leading to the Discovery of Asunta’s Body
The story begins on September 21, 2013, when Asunta’s parents, who were separated at the time, reported her missing. Rosario Porto claimed that Asunta was at her apartment doing homework while she went to the family’s country home in Teo. When she returned later that evening, Asunta was nowhere to be found.
The following day, Asunta’s body was discovered in Teo, Galicia. A coroner’s report later confirmed that Asunta died from asphyxiation and had been given an excessive dosage of Lorazepam—27 pills, nine times the amount that would typically be given to an adult.
What Led to the Arrests of Asunta’s Parents?
The investigation into Asunta’s death took a turn when police found CCTV footage that contradicted Rosario Porto’s account of the events leading to her daughter’s disappearance. As a result, Porto was arrested on September 24, 2013. The following day, her ex-husband, Alfonso Basterra, was also arrested.
In October 2015, both Porto and Basterra were put on trial for their daughter’s murder. The jury convicted them of Asunta’s aggravated murder, concluding that she had been smothered in the Teo country house before her body was dumped on a road.
Both parents were sentenced to 18 years in prison for their roles in the crime, with aggravating circumstances due to their familial relationship and abuse of authority.
However, the sentence was revisited in May 2016 when it was discovered that there was insufficient evidence to confirm Basterra’s presence in Porto’s car when she drove to Teo to dispose of Asunta’s body.
The High Court of Justice of Galicia maintained that Basterra had been involved in the planning and execution of the murder, but it was Porto who had caused Asunta’s asphyxiation. Despite this revision, the 18-year sentence for both parents stood, with all appeals dismissed.
The Aftermath of the Trial
While serving her prison sentence, Rosario Porto attempted suicide twice and was admitted to the prison infirmary in November 2017 due to deep depression. Tragically, Porto died by suicide on November 18, 2020.
CCTV footage reveals a shocking twist in the investigation (Photo: The Asunta Case/Bambú Producciones/Netflix)As for Alfonso Basterra, he continues to serve his sentence at Teixeiro prison in Spain. In 2017, before Porto’s death, Basterra sent a letter to the producers of the Spanish documentary Lo que la verdad esconde: Caso Asunta, which explored the case in detail.
The letter revealed his intention to disappear upon his release, stating, “When I regain my freedom, I have the firm intention of disappearing; no one will hear from me again, not even Rosario Porto.”
He further expressed his sole reason for staying alive: “I have only one reason to stay alive, which is none other than to be a free man again and reunite with my girl, never before. I have already thought about the how and where. I just need the when, but everything comes.”
The Series Finale: The Mystery of Motive and the Fate of the Parents
In the final episode of The Asunta Case, the jury’s decision to convict Porto and Basterra is revealed. The episode also details the fate of the two parents, leaving viewers with lingering questions about the true motive behind Asunta’s murder.
Despite the conviction, the series highlights the lack of a clear motive for the crime, which has led some to question the verdict. Both Porto and Basterra continue to maintain their innocence to this day.
