Aahana Swrup
The Netflix film ‘A Widow’s Game’ revolves around a riveting police investigation into the death of Arturo Ferrer. When police officer Eva Torres studies the case, an obvious suspect emerges in Maria Jesus, AKA Maje, the victim’s wife. Throughout their one-year marriage, the nurse had already been involved in various extramarital affairs, including one with her shady older co-worker, Salva. Thus, with her suspects in sight, Eva must employ any measure necessary to catch the killer. This Spanish crime thriller is based on the real-life criminal case of Antonio Navarro’s murder, for which his wife and one of her lovers were ultimately found guilty. The latter, identified as Salvador Rodrigo Lapiedra, is the off-screen inspiration behind the on-screen murderer.
Salvador Rodrigo Lapiedra Cooperated With the Police and Testified Against Maje
Salvador Rodrigo Lapiedra AKA Salva was in his 40s, married, and with a kid, when he began his affair with Maria Jesus “Maje” Moreno. At the time, he worked alongside the latter at the same hospital as a nurse assistant/warden. According to his account of the tale, Maje had led him to believe that her husband, Antonio Navarro Cerdán, was abusive, despite no firm evidence to support the allegations. As a result, it wasn’t long before the duo decided to conspire against the latter, making plans to murder him. Reportedly, the wife shared a key with Salvador to the garage of their building in Valencia, Patraix.
However, the duo had to delay their homicidal plans by a month simply because Navarro rarely used the garage in the first place. Eventually, on August 16, 2017, Salvador was waiting for Navarro in the garage, where he ambushed the man and stabbed him to death. As per reports, he used a kitchen knife for the attack and inflicted eight stab wounds to his victim’s chest. Afterward, he and Maje attempted to cover up the murder once the police began investigating the case. Nonetheless, wiretapped cellphone conversations between the two helped the authorities in pinning them down for the crime. Additionally, the cops also set a trap for Maje by compelling the victim’s brother and her brother-in-law to believe they had uncovered the killer’s identity.
This led to a conversation between her and Salvador, wherein the latter ended up incriminating himself for the crime over the phone. In the end, the police arrested both of them on the charge of Navarro’s murder. After his arrest, Salvador began cooperating with the cops, especially once he discovered Maje’s new affair with another inmate during their imprisonment. Additionally, the former warden’s daughter also encouraged him to work with the authorities. Eventually, in November 2018, Salvador testified against Maje, stating that the attack had been his lover’s idea, which the two had planned together. Ultimately, the trial came to an end with the jury finding both accused parties guilty of Navarro’s murder.
Salva is Serving His Sentence in a Prison Facility in Spain Today
At the end of their trial, Salvador Rodrigo Lapiedra and Maria Jesus Moreno were proven guilty of Navarro’s murder. Thus, both of them received prison sentences of 17 and 22 years, respectively. While the latter’s prison sentence was increased due to her connection to the victim, Salvador’s sentencing was reduced on account of his co-operation with the police during the court trials. Back when they first got detained, the pair of criminals had remained in touch with each other through letters. Reportedly, they exchanged five letters in total before he learned about Maje’s new relationship with someone else. Since then, their paths seem to have separated for the foreseeable future. As of now, Salvador continues serving his 17-year sentence at the Picassent penitentiary in Valencia, Spain.
Read More: Maria Jesus Moreno AKA Maje in Real Life: Where is the Black Widow Now?
