Murder of Diana Santos
| Murder of Diana Santos | |
|---|---|
| Location | 49°32′44.94″N 5°47′2.48″E / 49.5458167°N 5.7840222°E (crime scene) Diekirch, Luxembourg (murder location) |
| Date | September 18, 2022 |
| Target | Diana Santos |
Attack type | Femicide, murder, dismemberment |
| Weapons | Knife |
| Deaths | 1 |
| Victims | Diana Santos |
| Perpetrators | 1 |
| Assailants | Said Banhakeia |
| Motive | Romantic obsession and rejection |
| Accused | 1 |
| Charges | Murder, mutilation of a corpse |
| Verdict | Guilty of murder and desecration of a corpse |
| Convictions | Life imprisonment without parole |
| Convicted | Said Banhakeia |
On 18 September 2022, Diana Santos, a 40-year-old Portuguese national, was killed in her residence in Diekirch, Luxembourg. and subsequently dismembered. Her remains were dispersed across border regions in France and Germany, resulting in a joint investigation by law enforcement authorities in Luxembourg, France, and Germany. In February 2026, 51-year-old Moroccan national Said Banhakeia was convicted of her murder and sentenced to life imprisonment without parole by the Diekirch District Court.
Background and murder
Diana Santos was a 40-year-old Portuguese citizen originally from Porto who resided in Diekirch, Luxembourg.[1] On 18 September 2022, Santos was killed inside her home.[2] Forensic evidence indicated that she died from a fatal knife wound to the neck that severed her carotid artery.[3] Following the killing, her body was dismembered in the cellar of the building.[2]
Discovery of remains
On 19 September 2022, passersby discovered a decapitated torso behind an abandoned supermarket in Mont-Saint-Martin, France, near the Belgian and Luxembourgish borders.[4][5] The victim was tentatively identified through distinctive tattoos and later confirmed via DNA testing.[6]
On 1 November 2022, additional body parts—including the victim's head and legs—were recovered from a parking area in Temmels, Germany.[7] DNA analysis conducted by forensic specialists at the University of Mainz confirmed that all recovered remains belonged to Santos.[8] Her arms were never recovered.
Investigation and legal proceedings
Because body parts were scattered across multiple national borders, police agencies in Luxembourg, France, and Germany launched a joint investigation.[9] In October 2022, Luxembourgish judicial police arrested Said Banhakeia, a 51-year-old Moroccan national and former romantic partner of the victim.[10]
During interrogation and trial, Banhakeia admitted to dismembering and disposing of Santos's body, but denied committing the murder.[2] He claimed his nephew had killed Santos during an argument over a sham marriage before fleeing to Morocco.[2] Investigators rejected his account after determining that the nephew had contacted Luxembourgish police from Morocco to report his uncle.[2] Prosecutors established that Banhakeia murdered Santos out of romantic obsession after she sought to end their relationship.[2] The case prompted public discussion regarding femicide and domestic violence protection in Luxembourg.[11]
The trial took place at the Diekirch District Court.[3] On 5 February 2026, the court found Banhakeia guilty of murder and desecration of a corpse.[2] He was sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, ordered to pay €101,000 in court expenses, and ordered to pay €75,000 in civil damages to Santos's son.[12]
References
- ↑ Donn, Natasha (2022-10-05). "Married, then dead and dismembered". Portugal Resident. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Verdict reached: Diekirch court hands life sentence to accused in Diana Santos murder case". RTL Today. 2026-02-05. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- 1 2 "Diana Santos murder case: No clear motive established after first day of trial". RTL Today. 2025-11-11. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Decapitated female body discovered near Belgian border". The Brussels Times.
- ↑ "Witness recounts his eerie discovery close to the Luxembourgish border". RTL Today.
- ↑ "Polícia alemã encontra partes de corpo que poderão pertencer a Diana Santos". cmjornal.pt (in European Portuguese). 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Restos mortais encontrados em Temmels, na Alemanha, são de Diana Santos". CNN Portugal (in Portuguese). Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Dismembered body: Witness recounts his eerie discovery close to the Luxembourgish border". RTL Today. 2022-09-21. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Three EU Countries Drawn Into Grisly Murder Probe". barrons. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Detido suspeito no homicídio de Diana Santos". Postal do Algarve.
- ↑ "Femicide: Is Luxembourg failing its women?". euronews. Archived from the original on 2026-06-02. Retrieved 2026-08-07.
- ↑ "Man sentenced to life imprisonment without parole for murder of Diana Santos". Luxembourg Times. 2026-02-05. Retrieved 2026-08-07.