The True Story Behind Netflix's The Asunta Case

With Netflix’s continued commitment to international cinema/television and exploring true crime, the Spanish miniseries The Asunta Case proved to be the ideal balance between drama and real-life crime. The series stayed pretty true to the case and trial, but as is the case with any dramatization, some elements will be missed, and the movie won’t always capture the broad picture; though The Asunta Case comes very close.

We will look at the story behind the killing of Asunta Fong Yang, which is the basis of The Asunta Case, as well as where her parents are now. With the case being so well documented and infamous, the following contains heavy spoilers if you are unfamiliar with the crime that rocked Spain.

Plot and Cast of The Ausnta Case

The Asunta Case is a dramatization of the real-life murder of 12-year-old Asunta Fong Yang by her adoptive parents, Rosario Porto, and Alfonso Basterra, occurring in Santiago de Compostela, Spain, in 2013. The six-part miniseries follows the aftermath of Asunta’s disappearance, the finding of the young girl’s body, and the investigation that pinned her adoptive parents as the murderers. The case would go on to be one of Spain’s most shocking and would garner international attention. With multiple documentaries, The Asunta Case is the first dramatization of the events.

The Asunta Case was created by Ramón Campos, Jon de la Cuesta, and Gema R. Neira, all veteran writers of Spanish television. Candela Peña played Rosario Porto, and Tristán Ulloa played Tristán Ulloa. Both Pena and Ulloa are experienced Spanish actors; fans of Netflix’s original programming may recognize Ulloa for his role as Father Vincent in the well-received Warrior Nun TV series. Other notable actors in the series include Javier Gutiérrez as Judge Juez Malvar, María León as Agente Cruces, and Carlos Blanco as Agente Ríos.

The True Story Behind The Asunta Case

“The Asunta Case” references the 2013 murder of 12-year-old Asunta Fong Yang, who was adopted by wealthy Spanish couple Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra. It was in September 2013 that Asunta had been reported as missing by her parents, only to be discovered a few hours later on a road outside of Santiago de Compostela, Spain. During the investigation, it was discovered that Asunta had been ingesting smaller doses of the sedative Lorazepam, which, up to three months before her death, saw her experiencing side effects that included having issues with walking and other basic functions.

There were also instances at school that were seemingly noted but not followed up on, including behavior where Asunta was telling teachers and friends that she could not trust anyone and that she was being fed “white powders.” At the time of her death, the coroner discovered that Asunta had ingested over 9 times the recommended dose for adults, 27 Lorazepam pills. However, Asunta was murdered by asphyxiation before being dumped at the side of the road. It did not take long for the investigative team to pin Asunta’s parents as both her abusers and murderers.

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The case would be one of Spain’s largest, drawing global attention. This also led to problems with getting facts correct, with one instance where a reporter falsely published a headline claiming that Rosario Porto had killed Asunta and acted alone. There were also issues with ethics in journalism when it came to covering the murder of a minor, which also led to backlash and calls for reform.

The amount of speculation around the case agitated these issues, with both Porto and Basterra maintaining their innocence and never once giving a reason for the murder of Asunta. It was recorded that the couple was going through a divorce and that Rosario Porto had a history of mental health issues, including hospitalization for a mental breakdown, but the rest was left to speculation. This ranged from financial gain, as Asunta was set to inherit a large amount of money from a rich grandfather in China to preventing Asunta from revealing abuse.

The trial for the murder of Asunta Basterra lasted over four weeks, with 135 witnesses called. Some instances attempted to be brought up at the trial were Rosario’s claim that a masked man had broken into their home to present another scenario, but this was soon proven false. Alfonso, who was originally trying to place himself elsewhere at the time of the crime, was also debunked by eyewitness accounts of him being home and a general belief arose that on disposing of the body he had hid in the back seat while Roasario drove. However, Alfonso’s verdict would be amended later in 2016, with it deemed that it could not be proven Alfonso was in Rosario’s car the day of the murder; he was still implicated in the planning and collaboration of the murder of Asunta.

What Happened to Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra

Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra were both sentenced to 18 years in prison for the murder of Asunta in 2013 and convicted in 2015. Alfonso Basterra is currently serving his 18-year sentence at the Teixeiro prison in Spain and is set for release in 2033, at which point he will be 69 years old. Rosario Porto would go on to commit suicide at the age of 50. She was found hanged in her cell at Brieva prison in Ávila, Spain, on November 18, 2020; this was her third attempt while in incarceration. While to most, 18 years for the murder of a child may seem a short sentence, the public prosecutor had requested prison terms for Porto and Basterra, and the sentence was laid out without chance for a reduced sentence. For the public, it was seen as appropriate, given the severity of the crime.

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Lead investigators in the case, Cristina Cruces and Javier Rios, who were played by María León and Carlos Blanco, worked alongside Judge José Antonio Vázquez Taín (Judge Malvar played by Javier Gutiérrez in the Netflix miniseries), to bring the full case against the Rosario Porto and Alfonso Basterra. Judge Vázquez Taín currently serves as the head of the Criminal Court but is better known in his native Spain as an author of several books, a documentary filmmaker, a TV host, and a public speaker. Alfonso Basterra has remained silent on his crimes while in prison, still leaving only speculation as to the reason behind the murder of Asunta.