Fifth Suspect Arrested Over Live-Streamed Murder Of Argentine Women
Fifth Suspect Arrested Over Live-Streamed Murder Of Argentine Women
Authorities in Argentina have arrested a fifth suspect in connection with the live-streamed torture and murder of three young females, a case that has horrified the nation and sparked renewed calls to end femicide.
The victims cousins Morena Verdi and Brenda Del Castillo, both 20, and 15-year-old Lara Gutierrez disappeared last Friday.
Their bodies were discovered on Wednesday buried in the yard of a house in a southern suburb of Buenos Aires.
Investigators say the killings were broadcast live on Instagram to a private group of 45 viewers, in what officials suspect was linked to drug-related criminal activity.
The shocking detail has intensified public outrage, with many questioning how such violence could be broadcast in real-time without intervention.
National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich announced on Friday that a fifth person had been detained, raising the number of suspects in custody to three men and two women. Authorities are still piecing together the role of each individual in the crime.
The brutal killings have reignited anger over Argentina’s long-running problem of gender-based violence. Women’s rights groups and activists have called for nationwide demonstrations this weekend, with a major march planned in Buenos Aires to demand justice for the victims and stronger measures against femicide.
Argentina has one of the highest rates of femicide in Latin America, despite years of activism and policy reforms. Campaigners say this case made even more disturbing by its live broadcast underscores the urgency of tackling both organized crime and systemic violence against women.
