Home / Crime and Justice / Seville Predator: How One Survivor Exposed a Trusted Tour Guide
Seville Predator: How One Survivor Exposed a Trusted Tour Guide
30 Mar
Summary
- Gabrielle Vega's bravery led to exposing Manuel Blanco Vela's assaults.
- Vela lured vulnerable students through his 'Discover Excursions' company.
- Over 50 women accused Vela, leading to his 2025 conviction.
A Netflix documentary, 'The Predator of Seville,' details the harrowing experience of students targeted by Manuel Blanco Vela, a Spanish tour guide operating Discover Excursions. Vela cultivated an image of a trusted figure, arranging trips for American students in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. However, this facade concealed a pattern of luring vulnerable young women into hotel rooms for assault.
Gabrielle Vega, just 19 in 2013, was a key survivor. During a trip to Morocco, she was drugged and assaulted by Vela, leading to long-term psychological trauma and impacting her studies. Her bravery in speaking out encouraged other survivors to come forward.
Investigations revealed that Vela may have assaulted between 50 and 100 women. Despite numerous complaints, few cases reached prosecution due to alleged jurisdictional issues. In 2017, Hayley McAleese and Carly Van Ostenbridge reported attempted assaults in Portugal, but faced similar obstacles until they publicly shared their experiences in 2018.
Manuel Blanco Vela was also linked to the death of 21-year-old Lauren Bajorek in 2015, for which he was held civilly liable. In 2025, Spain's National Court found Vela guilty of assaulting three American students, sentencing him to eight and a half years in prison. His conviction followed compelling testimony from multiple survivors.
