Police in Chaco Province have discovered the body of a missing 20-year-old woman in a cement-topped pit in a back yard of a house and arrested a 33-year-old man on suspicion of murder.
The remains of Gabriela Arací Barrios were discovered Monday (October 13) at a house in the town of Avia Terai, about 180 kilometres northwest of Resistencia after a two-day search.
Barrios had been missing since the early hours of Sunday morning. She had last been seen in the 108 Viviendas neighbourhood on her motorbike, reported Diario Chaco.
Police located the burnt-out vehicle later that day inside an abandoned house, prompting them to treat the case as a possible homicide.
Officers later searched the property of Jesús ‘Huesa’ Salvatierra, reportedly the last person to see Barrios alive.
With the help of sniffer dogs, investigators uncovered a sealed pit in the back garden. When it was opened, firefighters found a yellow sack containing the young woman’s body.
Salvatierra, whose body featured injuries consistent with a struggle, was detained at the scene along with three others, including his wife.
Investigators believe the suspect may have been in an extramarital relationship with the victim.
During the search, police seized several knives, bloodstained clothing, a motorbike and portable radio, all of which are being analysed by forensic experts.
The investigation is led by Prosecutor Marcelo Soto, who confirmed that Salvatierra has been formally charged with a femicide.
Barrios’s body will undergo a post-mortem examination to determine the cause and timing of death.
In Argentina, femicide is legally defined as the killing of a woman because of her gender. Women’s rights groups say cases have risen in recent years, particularly in rural provinces.
This latest killing comes amid concern over cuts to gender-based violence prevention programmes introduced under President Javier Milei’s government, which has slashed state spending since taking office.
– TIMES/NA
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