Shivangi Sinha
When José Jurado Montilla began posting about Esther Estepa’s disappearance, he claimed that he was simply trying to help find a friend. In his TikTok videos, he appeared emotional and heartbroken, and many of his thousands of followers supported his efforts. However, suspicion began to grow in May 2024 when he was accused of involvement in another murder case from 2022. Police records later revealed that Montilla had previously been convicted of four homicides in 1987. As questions surrounding his past and actions surfaced, public attention increasingly turned toward him. Netflix’s ‘The TikTok Killer’ explores Montilla’s life, the serious allegations he has faced over the years, and the growing scrutiny surrounding his role in Esther’s case.
José Jurado Montilla Was Convicted in Four Homicide Cases
Not much is known about the early life of José Jurado Montilla. In the mid-1980s, he was living in Puerto de la Torre in the Málaga province of Spain. In November 1985, the remains of a man named Francisco González were discovered covered with sacks, and he had been killed with a shotgun. In March 1987, authorities found the remains of Antonio Paniagua, a 46-year-old former chauffeur of the singer Juanito Valderrama, in a rural house in Campanillas, in an area known as Puerto de los Randos. Earlier that same year, the police had also discovered the bodies of two tourists from Britain and Germany, Peter Glenn and Klaus Schmucker. Following these discoveries, Montilla was arrested on May 4, 1987, on charges related to the four homicides.
Montilla admitted that he had shot González after an alleged scuffle between them and claimed that he had acted in self-defense. However, he denied any involvement in the other three killings and insisted that he had been framed in those cases. Despite his claims, the court ultimately found him guilty and sentenced him to a total of 123 years in prison. Years later, his sentence was affected by Spain’s Parot doctrine, a legal principle introduced in 2006 that changed how sentence reductions were applied for prisoners convicted of serious crimes. As a result, Montilla was released in 2013.
After regaining his freedom, he reportedly moved from place to place and gradually built a following on TikTok. His videos often showed him traveling through wilderness areas, interacting with people, and sharing his thoughts on life, morality, and personal values. Many followers admired his reflective style, and whenever he spoke about the crimes he had been convicted of, he continued to maintain his innocence. Montilla often visited the locations where the crimes he had been convicted of had taken place and filmed himself staying or camping in those areas.
José Jurado Montilla Has Not Been Charged in Esther Estepa’s Case Even Today
On May 16, 2024, Montilla was arrested in connection with the 2022 murder of a man named David. The young man had allegedly told his family that he had met a strange older man the day before he disappeared. Investigators later alleged that DNA evidence recovered from the zipper of David’s bag helped narrow down the suspect, although the case is still ongoing. It was only after Montilla’s arrest that police recovered his phone and allegedly discovered images of the remains of Esther Estepa, who had been missing since August 2023. Montilla had spent the last few days with her before her disappearance, but claimed that he had dropped her off at a hospital and that it was the last time he had seen her.
However, police allege that Montilla used Esther’s phone after her death to send misleading texts to her family. Following her disappearance, he also posted extensively on social media, claiming he was helping search for her and alleging that they had an intimate relationship. Hospital staff allegedly identified him as the man who brought Esther in and as the one she had reluctantly left with. The ride Esther had called via a cab app picked her up from the same location where her remains were later discovered in January 2024, and images on Montilla’s phone allegedly show that same spot. He has not been formally charged in Esther’s case but remains in custody. The investigation is ongoing, and Montilla continues to maintain his innocence.
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