Where is José Jurado Montilla now? Subject of Netflix’s TikTok Killer documentary

I just finished watching ‘The TikTok Killer’ on Netflix, and it’s a really gripping docuseries. It dives into the tragic story of Ester Estepa – her disappearance and, ultimately, what happened to her. It’s a tough watch, but a compelling one.

After Ester disappeared in 2023, her loved ones started looking for her themselves. They pieced together her last known movements by examining her messages, videos, and online activity.

This documentary tells the story of Ester’s last days using old video and interviews with her family and friends, much like the family themselves remember it.

So, I was really gripped by this documentary, and naturally, I started wondering what happened to Ester Estepa. The film raises some serious questions about who might be responsible for her vanishing, and I dug a little deeper to find out more about the people involved. Let me tell you what I discovered about the subjects of this story.

What happened to Ester Estepa?

Ester Estepa, a 42-year-old woman, went missing during a trip to Spain. While there, she reportedly met José Jurado Montilla, and the two of them went hiking together.

I’ve been following this case, and it’s so unsettling. Apparently, Ester’s family last heard from her on August 23rd, just a few days into her travels. Her mom started to get worried about the messages she was receiving and asked Ester to send a voice note, but then they just…lost contact. It’s terrifying to think about!

Ester’s mother then received a video call where Montilla claimed he’d been with Ester for several days before she went missing. He explained that Ester had run out of mobile data, so he let her use his phone to call her family.

Ester was reported missing, and tragically, her body was discovered nearly a year later in a remote location near Gandía, a city on Spain’s east coast. Authorities determined she died from a head injury.

According to the police investigation, Montilla was the last person known to have seen Ester before she disappeared.

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Who is José Jurado Montilla?

José Jurado Montilla is a travel content creator, particularly popular on TikTok.

Before becoming known on social media, José Montilla spent 28 years in prison for murdering four people between 1985 and 1987. He was initially sentenced to 123 years, but a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights, related to how sentence reductions are calculated (known as the Parot Doctrine), led to his early release.

Montilla explained to investigators that he and Ester separated on August 21st, saying they hugged goodbye at the Gandía train station.