The Asunta Case Ending Explained

Summary Why were Rosario and Alfonso drugging Asunta? The police couldn't find a clear motive despite evidence of Lorazepam in her system.

Rosario and Alfonso's contradictory statements and suspicious behavior led to their conviction for Asunta's murder.

The Asunta Case raises questions about who really killed Asunta Basterra, with suspicions shifting to a new suspect at one point.

Warning: This article contains mentions of suicide.

Netflix's new chilling true crime thriller The Asunta Case features some shocking revelations about what happens to Asunta Basterra. Based on the true story of the Asunta Case that occurred in Spain, the series chronicles what led to Rosario Porto's and Alfonso Basterra's convictions for their adopted daughter's death. The Asunta Case begins with Asunta's adoptive parents reporting to the police that Asunta had disappeared from their home, where Rosario had left her, on September 21, 2013. Asunta's body was found near the house in the early hours of September 22 by two men who had been driving in the area.

Throughout The Asunta Case, the police try to find out who murdered Asunta. The evidence points to Rosario, and she becomes the first person arrested for Asunta's murder. The police conclude that Rosario couldn't have committed the crime on her own, so they arrest Alfonso the following day after Rosario's arrest. What follows are shocking revelations about the kind of relationship the couple had with each other and Asunta. The series ends with Rosario and Alfonso going to trial and being sentenced to 18 years for Asunta's murder.

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Did Rosario & Alfonso Kill Asunta Basterra?

The Police & Prosecution Didn't Find A Motive For Asunta's Murder

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One of the lingering questions in The Asunta Case is if Rosario and Alfonso killed Asunta Basterra. Despite Rosario and Alfonso being convicted for Asunta’s murder, the series emphasizes that the police and the prosecution failed to find any clear motive for why the couple might have killed their adopted daughter. Throughout the investigation, Rosario and Alfonso maintained their innocence and questioned the police why they would kill Asunta, to which they had no proper answer. There were several reasons the police thought the couple could have killed their daughter, however.

Asunta had supposedly inherited money from her grandfather, which led the police to the conclusion that Rosario and Alfonso killed Asunta for the money. However, that motive was disproved when Asunta's godmother revealed that Asunta's grandfather did not leave her any money. The police also theorized that Rosario and Alfonso had simply gotten tired of their daughter, so they decided to get rid of her. Another theory was that they killed Asunta so that she wouldn't reveal that they had been dosing her with Lorazepam. Even though that theory makes more sense, there was no way to prove it.

All six episodes of The Asunta Case are available for streaming on Netflix.

Why The Jury Convicted Rosario Porto & Alfonso Basterra

Rosario's Statements To The Police Were Contradictory

Two years after Rosario and Alfonso were arrested for Asunta's murder, the couple went to trial. The jury unanimously agreed that Rosario and Alfonso were guilty and sentenced them to 18 years for aggravated murder with aggravating circumstances of kinship and abuse of authority. This verdict was mainly because of the contradictory statements that Rosario made at the beginning of the investigation. Rosario kept changing her story, which led the jury to believe that she might have had something to do with Asunta's death.

Further, the autopsy report revealed that Asunta was being drugged with Lorazepam for over three months prior to her death. The coroner also found the equivalent of 27 Lorazepam pills were in her bloodstream at the time of her death. There were also reports made by Asunta's teachers that she had been dizzy on several occasions. When the couple were questioned, they said that they had been giving Asunta the medication because of her allergies. However, Lorazepam was not prescribed by Asunta's doctor and she denied having any allergies.

The fact that Rosario and Alfonso did not take Asunta to the hospital despite the reports and their daughter feeling ill convinced the jury of their guilt. Another piece of evidence that Rosario and Alfonso had kept from the police surfaced: an intruder had broken into their home and tried to kill Asunta, but Rosario fought him off. Rosario and Alfonso did not report the incident to the police even though their daughter had been harmed, which was incredibly odd. The jury wondered why the couple would keep such vital information to themselves, especially since it meant that it might have been another avenue for police to explore.

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Why Were Asunta's Parents Drugging Her?

The Police Didn't Ultimately Know Why Rosario & Alfonso Were Drugging Her

The coroner's report found traces of Lorazepam in Asunta's hair, leading to the diagnosis that Rosario and Alfonso had been giving her Lorazepam for at least three months before her death. However, the police could not find any motive for why Rosario and Alfonso were drugging their daughter. Nevertheless, there are some theories about why Asunta's parents were giving her daughter the drug, which is prescribed for seizures and for anxiety.

Rosario had been struggling with depression after her lover, Vincente, broke up with her, and she had also been hospitalized for lupus. Since Alfonso was taking care of both Rosario and Asunta, it's possible that Alfonso was drugging Asunta to have some moments of peace. Alternatively, Rosario could have given Asunta such a high dosage of Lorazepam the day she died because she was trying to emotionally protect her from Alfonso, who had violent tendencies.

Were There Any Other Suspects For Asunta's Murder?

The Police Didn't Initially Have Any Other Viable Suspects

Judge Malavar, one of the lead investigators in the Asunta case, was so convinced that Rosario and Alfonso were guilty that he didn't entertain the possibility of any other suspects. Evidence put Rosario at the scene of the crime, so someone else other than her and Alfonso being involved was slim. As the investigation continued, a possible second suspect was brought in.

When the shirt Asunta was wearing on the day of her death was discovered, traces of sperm were found near the neckline. The sperm belonged to Carlos Murillo, and he became the new suspect in the murder. Murillo had a record of alleged sexual assault, but he denied having anything to do with Asunta's death. On the day that Asunta died, Murilllo had a solid alibi. He wasn't anywhere near where Asunta's body was found, so he was released from police custody after being questioned.

What Happened To Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra After The Asunta Case?

Rosario Porto Died By Suicide

After the jury sentenced Rosario to 18 years for Asunta's murder, she began her sentence at a women's prison. Before she could begin her sentence, she asked her lawyer to put an obituary for Asunta in the newspaper every year. Rosario was immensely depressed, and she had to be put on suicide watch after attempting to kill herself. Rosario died in 2020 from suicide after she was transferred to a new prison.

Alfonso was convicted for collaborating with Rosario in Asunta's murder. The police and prosecution did not sufficiently prove that he had helped Rosario murder Asanta or why he supposedly covered for her. The end of The Asunta Case showed that Alfonso is currently still serving his sentence and wants to do so until the end to prove that he had nothing to do with Asunta's murder. Rosario and Alfonso appealed to have their convictions overturned, but the courts denied them.