Murder suspect arrested with victim's name and 'date she was killed' tattooed on arm

Police in Spain have arrested a German fugitive accused of killing his 20-year-old girlfriend as well as safely recovering their 18-month-old baby who he had fled with.

The suspect, known only as Dominik R, was arrested at a flat in the Spanish town of Lloret del Mar having been on the run since October after officers found the body of his girlfriend in plastic bags in the German town of Freyung.

Spanish police said when the suspect was arrested, he was sporting a recent "macabre" tattoo on his upper arm of his girlfriend's name, her date of birth and a third date in late October, which they believe to be the day she was killed. The tattoo also has the a line reading "Thank you for everything" in Spanish.

Authorities issued a European Order of Detention and Delivery for the suspect following the discovery of his girlfriend's body. German police contacted Spanish detectives saying he may be in Spain with the intention of travelling to a North African country.

After police followed his trail through several places in Spain, he was eventually located in in Lloret de Mar and arrested. His 18-old month baby was also taken from him and handed over to German social services.

Police said before going on the run, the suspect took his girlfriend's phone with the intention of keeping her social media profiles active in order to throw investigators off. On 7 November, he allegedly used the 20-year-old woman's phone to upload a photo of him with his son next to the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

If found guilty, Dominik R faces a possible sentence of 15 years in jail in Germany.