The 'Werewolf of Allariz' or the 'Tallow Man' were the nicknames for Spain’s first serial killer, a tailor named Manuel Blanco Romasanta.
After being charged with the murder of a constable, Romasanta fled to live in a small village and soon, before long, his number of victims rose.
After being charged with the murder of a constable, Romasanta fled to live in a small village and soon, before long, his number of victims rose.
Serial Killer with Lycanthropy?
Sketch of Romasanta based on his skull. If there is a list of something, that means there has to be a number 1 right?
The first ‘documented’ serial killer in Spain was a lovely gentleman named Manuel Blanco Romasanta. A great name that rolls off the tongue – unfortunately for his victims, Manuel had some nicknames - the Werewolf of Allariz was one, or less commonly as the Tallow Man because he liked to fatten up his victims as they then made the best kind of soap.
He was born on 18 November, 1809 in Regueiro, Spain. It is believed he had a relatively privileged upbringing, due to his ability to read and write, which was something only the wealthy could do back then. He stopped growing as an early teen, and was quite short, being somewhere between 4 foot 6 and 4 foot 11. He became a tailor and married, settling into a normal life… but then his wife died, and for reasons unknown, he decided to take on the life as a travelling salesman. He travelled all over Spain and Portugal, selling his wares.
The first ‘documented’ serial killer in Spain was a lovely gentleman named Manuel Blanco Romasanta. A great name that rolls off the tongue – unfortunately for his victims, Manuel had some nicknames - the Werewolf of Allariz was one, or less commonly as the Tallow Man because he liked to fatten up his victims as they then made the best kind of soap.
He was born on 18 November, 1809 in Regueiro, Spain. It is believed he had a relatively privileged upbringing, due to his ability to read and write, which was something only the wealthy could do back then. He stopped growing as an early teen, and was quite short, being somewhere between 4 foot 6 and 4 foot 11. He became a tailor and married, settling into a normal life… but then his wife died, and for reasons unknown, he decided to take on the life as a travelling salesman. He travelled all over Spain and Portugal, selling his wares.
Romasanta bust based on skull detail. In 1844 he was charged with the murder of a constable of Leon named Vicente Fernandez. His body was found after he had reportedly gone seeking Manuel to collect a debt. Manuel did not appear at his trial, he had managed to get his hands on a fake passport and fled, so he was found guilty of the murder in his absence, and sentenced to 10 years.
He hid in plain sight in the small village of Rebordechao, under his assumed name, and became quite friendly with the women of the village. A little too friendly. Over the years, several women and children who had hired him disappeared. These disappearances took a while to be noticed, because Manuel would make up correspondence between the missing people and their families, advising that they had moved and were settling in to their destination, etc.
Eventually rumours around the village spread that Manuel was, in fact, killing the missing people, and making soap with the human fat. A rumour which was quite accurate. A charge was laid against him in the city of Escalona. He was arrested and brought to trial, for the murder of the following people:
• Manuela Garcia, age 47, and her daughter Petra, 15
• Benita Garcia Blanco, aged 34, and her son Francisco, 10
• Antonia land, 37 years old, and her daughter Peregrina
• Josefa Garcia and her son Jose Pazos, 21 years old.
• María Dolores, 12 years old.
He hid in plain sight in the small village of Rebordechao, under his assumed name, and became quite friendly with the women of the village. A little too friendly. Over the years, several women and children who had hired him disappeared. These disappearances took a while to be noticed, because Manuel would make up correspondence between the missing people and their families, advising that they had moved and were settling in to their destination, etc.
Eventually rumours around the village spread that Manuel was, in fact, killing the missing people, and making soap with the human fat. A rumour which was quite accurate. A charge was laid against him in the city of Escalona. He was arrested and brought to trial, for the murder of the following people:
• Manuela Garcia, age 47, and her daughter Petra, 15
• Benita Garcia Blanco, aged 34, and her son Francisco, 10
• Antonia land, 37 years old, and her daughter Peregrina
• Josefa Garcia and her son Jose Pazos, 21 years old.
• María Dolores, 12 years old.
How werewolves were viewed in France at about the time, this one is an illustration of the Beast of Gévaudan which stalked France in the 1760s. Manuel made the extraordinary claim during his trial that he was infected with Lycanthropy – what we now know as the disease mythical werewolves possess. Even more extraordinary, the case was taken seriously. He admitted to 13 murders, stating that a curse had been laid against him, and he killed them after he had transformed into a wolf. His case was named: Cause No 1778 ‘The Wolfman’ volume 36 of the courts of Allariz.
In his words, he stated:
"The first time I transformed, was in the mountains of Couso. I came across two ferocious-looking wolves. I suddenly fell to the floor, and began to feel convulsions, I rolled over three times, and a few seconds later I myself was a wolf. I was out marauding with the other two for five days, until I returned to my own body, the one you see before you today, Your Honour. The other two wolves came with me, who I thought were also wolves, changed into human form. They were from Valencia. One was called Antonio and the other Don Genaro. They too were cursed... we attacked and ate a number of people because we were hungry." — Manuel Blanco Romasanta
The prosecution asked Manuel to prove his Lycanthropy by turning into a wolf during the trial. He replied saying that the curse was for 13 years, and as luck would have it, the 13 years was up the previous week.
He was acquitted of four of the murders of which he was accused, and to which he confessed. Forensic evidence found that these victims DID die in real wolf attacks – something rare in itself, but there had been a bad famine at the time. He was found guilty of the other nine charges, and was sentenced to death by garrotte. Manuel appeared to have a long-distance fan though. A French hypnotist known as Mr Phillips wrote to the Minister of Justice, telling him that Manuel was suffering from a ‘monomania’ known as ‘lycanthropy’, and that he was not responsible for his actions. He claimed to have successfully treated this condition in the past, and asked that the execution be delayed so he could study Manuel.
This led the Minister for Justice to write to Queen Isabella II, asking that the execution be delayed, and the Queen commuting the death sentence to Life Imprisonment instead. By royal order, dated 13 May 1854, Manuel was transferred to a prison in Celanova, where he died only a few months later – possibly from illness, or from being shot by a guard who wanted him to transform, or the latest possibility being a newspaper article that was found, which stated he died of stomach cancer.
In his words, he stated:
"The first time I transformed, was in the mountains of Couso. I came across two ferocious-looking wolves. I suddenly fell to the floor, and began to feel convulsions, I rolled over three times, and a few seconds later I myself was a wolf. I was out marauding with the other two for five days, until I returned to my own body, the one you see before you today, Your Honour. The other two wolves came with me, who I thought were also wolves, changed into human form. They were from Valencia. One was called Antonio and the other Don Genaro. They too were cursed... we attacked and ate a number of people because we were hungry." — Manuel Blanco Romasanta
The prosecution asked Manuel to prove his Lycanthropy by turning into a wolf during the trial. He replied saying that the curse was for 13 years, and as luck would have it, the 13 years was up the previous week.
He was acquitted of four of the murders of which he was accused, and to which he confessed. Forensic evidence found that these victims DID die in real wolf attacks – something rare in itself, but there had been a bad famine at the time. He was found guilty of the other nine charges, and was sentenced to death by garrotte. Manuel appeared to have a long-distance fan though. A French hypnotist known as Mr Phillips wrote to the Minister of Justice, telling him that Manuel was suffering from a ‘monomania’ known as ‘lycanthropy’, and that he was not responsible for his actions. He claimed to have successfully treated this condition in the past, and asked that the execution be delayed so he could study Manuel.
This led the Minister for Justice to write to Queen Isabella II, asking that the execution be delayed, and the Queen commuting the death sentence to Life Imprisonment instead. By royal order, dated 13 May 1854, Manuel was transferred to a prison in Celanova, where he died only a few months later – possibly from illness, or from being shot by a guard who wanted him to transform, or the latest possibility being a newspaper article that was found, which stated he died of stomach cancer.
By Peet Banks 2014
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