Business leader killed during burglary

The president of the Girona federation of business organizations (Foeg), Jordi Comas, was killed in a violent assault in his Costa Brava home on Sunday night. Three burglars entered the property in Platja d'Aro around 11.30pm and bound and gagged Comas and his wife, resulting in the death of the businessman.

The Mossos d'Esquadra have launched an investigation but no arrests have been made so far. The Catalonia police commissioner, Joaquim Belenguer, said that the incident "will be investigated to the bitter end."

Sources close to the family said that Comas died after an object was forced into his mouth to prevent him from shouting for help. An autopsy is to be carried out to determine if asphyxiation was the cause of death or if the victim may have suffered a fatal heart attack.

Family sources said that Comas died after an object was forced into his mouth

Comas owned three hotels and a restaurant in Platja d'Aro and had been president of Foeg since 2009. His nephew, Jordi Díaz, said that there had been an attempted robbery at Comas' residence three weeks earlier but the thieves had not managed to get inside. "We think it was the same people," Díaz added. The robbery attempt had persuaded the couple to buy a new alarm, which had yet to be installed.

"He was like a second father to me," said Díaz. "We are utterly dismayed."

Police search teams combed the area on Monday morning in search of clues as to the identity of the thieves.