Thousands of people marched in Buenos Aires demanding justice after the brutal killings of a teenage girl and two young women in a crime that has shocked Argentina.
The victims, 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez and 20-year-olds Morena Verdi and Brenda del Castillo, were reportedly tortured and murdered, with the crime broadcast on social media, according to the BBC.
Investigation Details:
- Authorities believe a drug trafficking gang was responsible, using the murders as a warning to others.
- Five suspects (three men, two women) had been arrested by Friday, but a 20-year-old Peruvian man, allegedly the gang leader, remains at large.
- The victims were lured into a van on September 19, believing they were attending a party. Investigators say the attack was intended to punish the women for violating gang rules.
During questioning, one of the suspects revealed a video of the murders, in which a gang leader is heard saying:
“This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me.”
Authorities have released a photo of the alleged Peruvian suspect in hopes of identification.
The bodies were found buried on a property in southern Buenos Aires five days after the victims disappeared.
Public Response:
- Relatives joined a march to the Argentine Parliament, calling for justice.
- Leonel del Castillo, father of Brenda, said:
“Women must be protected more than ever.”
- Antonio del Castillo, grandfather of the 20-year-old cousins, called the killers “bloodthirsty” and expressed deep grief over the crime.
Context:
- According to monitoring groups cited by AFP, a woman is killed by a man every 36 hours in Argentina, highlighting ongoing concerns about gender-based violence.
