The teen monsters who brutally murdered 15-year-old Cloe in Orihuela Costa had searched online for real-life crime videos to learn how to kill her, investigators have revealed.
The shocking discovery came from the Civil Guard’s analysis of the suspects’ mobile phones, unveiled during the final session of their trial in Alicante’s juvenile court. The teenagers — Cloe’s ex-boyfriend and his classmate, both aged 17 — are accused of luring the young girl to her death last November after meticulously planning the attack.
According to investigators, the pair studied “real murder” videos online to perfect their technique before carrying out the gruesome assault. When the time came, one held Cloe down while the other used a knife to slice her throat, “as if sawing,” prosecutors told the court.
A Murder Planned Like a Horror Movie
Cloe was killed on November 24 — the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women — after breaking up with her ex-boyfriend. Prosecutors say the crime was motivated by revenge and gender violence, planned for weeks in chilling detail.
Both teens now face the maximum sentence allowed under Spain’s juvenile law: eight years in a secure detention center. Prosecutors insist both played equal roles, describing them as “cold, calculating, and psychopathic,” noting their lack of remorse even after watching real killings online without flinching.
Boasting About the Murder
Digital traces recovered from the killers’ phones paint an even darker picture. Shortly after the attack, while Cloe lay dying, the boys exchanged messages boasting about what they had done — even sending photos of themselves at home playing video games.
But when an app on Cloe’s phone revealed she had been taken to Torrevieja Hospital, panic set in. “You should have done it like in the video,” one texted the other, fearing she might survive.
To cover their tracks, one posted a photo on social media pretending to be elsewhere. The murder weapon — a knife bought at a local Chinese bazaar — was later burned along with bloodstained clothes and gloves in an abandoned house, using barbecue firelighters as accelerant.
A Desperate Fight for Life
A forensic pathologist told the court that Cloe had suffered up to six knife wounds to her neck, with additional shallow cuts consistent with an “incomplete throat-slitting.” The blows severed major blood vessels, causing fatal bleeding.
Miraculously, she managed to stagger to her brother’s nearby home for help — but doctors could not save her.
“They Only Regret Being Caught”
Despite confessing, prosecutors and Cloe’s family reject any plea for leniency. “They are not remorseful,” the prosecutor said bluntly. “They only regret being caught.”
Investigators also uncovered attempts to mislead police — including a fake message in Russian written through Google Translate, claiming Cloe was attacked over a drug debt.
“This was a premeditated execution,” said the family’s lawyer, Juan Carlos Fuentes, describing the crime as “cold, calculated, and merciless.”
Defence Claims and Final Apologies
Lawyers for the ex-boyfriend argued that his confession should be viewed as cooperation. The second boy’s defense insisted he was merely a “useful idiot,” manipulated by the ringleader.
Both attended the final hearing via video link from their detention center. “I don’t know what was going through my head,” Cloe’s ex said in a brief apology. His co-defendant admitted to buying the knife.
Family’s Plea: Change the Law
Outside the court, Cloe’s aunt, Amor Fenoll, demanded tougher laws for minors who commit such brutal crimes.
“We must debate whether killers should walk free after just eight years,” she said through tears.
“Cloe couldn’t even defend herself. There is no way to undo this.”
The court’s verdict is now pending — but Cloe’s ex-boyfriend is expected back in court soon to face separate charges for domestic abuse during their relationship.
