Angi: Fake Life, True Crime is a gripping two-part Spanish docuseries that delves into the chilling true story of María Ángeles Molina, known as Angi. Once a successful businesswoman and trusted friend, Angi’s facade unraveled in 2008 when she was convicted of the premeditated murder of her close friend, Ana Páez, a 35-year-old fashion designer. The case, dubbed “The Near-Perfect Crime” by Spanish media, shocked the nation with its intricate web of deceit and calculated execution.
The docuseries Angi: Fake Life, True Crime, directed by Carlos Agulló and produced by Brutal Media, was set to premiere globally on Netflix on May 1, 2025, but the release is suspended due to a judiciary order over unauthorized image use. No new premiere date is officially confirmed. Through extensive research, including over 2,000 pages of case files and more than 60 interviews with individuals connected to the case, the series offers an in-depth exploration of María Ángeles Molina’s double life and the crimes she committed. Viewers can stream both episodes exclusively on Netflix once released.
How did Ana Páez Murdered, Was Angi behind it all?
On February 21, 2008, Ana María Páez Capitán, a 35-year-old designer, was found dead in a rented apartment in Barcelona’s Gracia neighborhood. Her body was naked, with a plastic bag over her head and semen from two men on her, suggesting a sexual incident. The killer, María de los Ángeles Molina Fernández, known as Angi, a former colleague, planned the murder to profit from insurance policies and loans in Páez’s name. Convicted in 2012, Angi’s scheme, dubbed a “near-perfect crime,” unraveled due to critical errors.
Angi began impersonating Páez in 2006, using her stolen passport and ID from their shared workplace. Disguised with a black wig, she opened six credit policies worth 102,415 euros and ten life insurance policies totaling 840,000 euros, listing Susana Bascuñana, whose ID was stolen at a photocopy shop, as a beneficiary in some.
To stage Páez’s death as a sexual accident, Angi visited the American Gigoló brothel days before, paying two male sex workers 100 euros each for semen samples collected in sterilized containers. She rented the apartment using Páez’s credit card and prepared chloroform or a similar toxin.
On February 19, 2008, Angi lured Páez to the apartment for a supposed dinner. To establish an alibi, she drove to Zaragoza that morning, claiming to collect her mother’s ashes (her mother died in 2007), using Teletac for tolls but returning to Barcelona by 8:30 p.m., as shown by phone triangulation. During the dinner, Angi likely drugged Páez, though the autopsy couldn’t confirm the substance. She suffocated Páez with a plastic bag and placed the semen on her body to mislead police.
Investigation and Forensic details of Ana Páez murder
The Mossos d’Esquadra initially suspected a sexual misadventure. The autopsy, conducted by the Institute of Legal Medicine of Catalonia, confirmed death by asphyxiation from the plastic bag, with no struggle signs, suggesting unconsciousness. Semen DNA from two unknown males was unrelated to Angi, and no fingerprints or her DNA were found, showing forensic caution.
The semen was traced to the brothel, and placed post-mortem, as the autopsy showed no sexual trauma. A chloroform bottle at Angi’s home was tested, but no traces were detected on Páez due to the chemical’s volatility.
A 600-euro withdrawal from Páez’s account at 9:00 a.m. on February 19, when she was at work, raised suspicion. Bank staff identified Angi, disguised, handling accounts. Her Zaragoza alibi was disproved by phone records. A search of her home revealed Páez’s passport, ID, and an insurance policy hidden behind a bathroom cistern, found by her boyfriend.
Over 2,000 pages of case files confirmed Angi’s fraud. Witnesses, including Páez’s family, refuted her claim of Ana’s double life. The Barcelona High Court, in March 2012, sentenced Angi to 22 years—18 for murder, and four for fraud—citing “unquestionable evidence.”
Who was María Ángeles Molina, What happened to her husband?
Born in Zaragoza, Spain, Angi later moved to the Canary Islands. In her youth, she reportedly engaged in prostitution to fund a lavish lifestyle. She married Juan Antonio Álvarez Litben, a businessman, in the late 1980s, and they had a daughter, Carolina. Angi drove luxury cars like a Porsche 911 and Hummer, projecting wealth. In 1996, Litben, aged 45, died in the Canary Islands under initial circumstances considered a suicide, but later termed as mistakenly ingesting phosphate, which Angi claimed he must have mistaken for fruit salts.
She reported a robbery, but his wallet was found in their home during the 2008 Páez investigation, disproving the claim. Angi inherited 40 million pesetas (about 250,000 euros), but a life insurance payout was denied. The case was reopened but archived due to insufficient evidence, with no charges filed. After his death, Angi moved to Barcelona, working as a Human Resources manager in Mataró, where she met Páez. Her manipulative charm, noted in court documents, hid her deceptive practices.
Where is María Ángeles Molina now?
María Ángeles Molina Fernández, known as Angi, was convicted in 2012 for the 2008 murder of her friend Ana Páez in Barcelona, a case labeled “The Near-Perfect Crime.” She killed Páez to profit from loans and insurance policies worth over a million euros, using disguises and staged evidence. Sentenced to 22 years (18 for murder, four for fraud), she is serving her sentence at Mas d’Enric prison in Tarragona, Spain.
In March 2025, while on a 12-hour prison leave, Angi was arrested by the Mossos d’Esquadra for allegedly planning another murder, reportedly attempting to hire hitmen. The case, under investigation by Tarragona’s Criminal Investigation Division, remains under a secrecy order.
Despite good behavior in prison, where she worked in the commissary, this new charge could delay her scheduled 2027 release. The Netflix docuseries Angi: Fake Life, True Crime (planned for May 1, 2025, but paused due to a court order) details her crimes. Angi remains incarcerated, with her future release uncertain.
Source: infobae
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Hilfa, Senior Writer at Hilvaro, excels in pop culture journalism. She crafts engaging content on movies, TV, & trends, fueled by her love for storytelling & entertainment.
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