From chilling serial killers to political cover-ups, explore the most notorious and haunting criminal cases that reveal the darker side of Argentina’s history. (Image above: Marcelo Alejandro Antelo)
Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch, born in 1952 in Buenos Aires, stands as one of Argentina’s most infamous serial killers, earning chilling nicknames such as "The Angel of Death" and "The Black Angel." His violent spree, concentrated mainly in the northern suburbs of Greater Buenos Aires between 1971 and 1972, involved a terrifying mix of crimes: eleven confirmed murders, one attempted murder, seventeen armed robberies, sexual assaults, kidnappings, and thefts.
Robledo Puch’s criminal career began in May 1971 with a brutal robbery at an auto repair shop in Vicente López. During the heist, he fatally shot the owner, severely injured the owner’s wife-whom he also sexually assaulted-and even fired at the baby in the cradle, narrowly missing. This cold-blooded act set the tone for a spree marked by ruthless violence and a disturbing lack of remorse.
Over the following months, Robledo Puch and his accomplices targeted nightclubs, supermarkets, and private homes. He showed no hesitation in killing security guards and watchmen who crossed his path, often shooting them execution-style. His methods of murder were varied and brutal, including shooting, strangulation, bludgeoning with rocks, and slitting throats.
One of the most chilling aspects of his crimes was the murder of a 16-year-old girl involved in street prostitution. After kidnapping her at gunpoint, she was sexually assaulted by his accomplice and then shot multiple times by Robledo Puch in a secluded area.
Arrested in February 1972, Robledo Puch’s trial began eight years later, revealing a cold, defiant figure who dismissed the proceedings as a “farce.” Forensic psychiatrist Osvaldo Raffo diagnosed him as a psychopath and a continuing threat to society. Despite Robledo Puch’s claims of torture and coercion, he was unanimously convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, the harshest penalty under Argentine law.
His case remains a dark chapter in Argentina’s criminal history, inspiring films and ongoing fascination due to the eerie contrast between his youthful appearance and his merciless crimes.
Citations:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robledo_Puch
2. https://books.google.com/books/about/Robledo_Puch.html?id=1OhbXwAACAAJ
3. https://goldenglobes.com/articles/the-angel-argentina/
4. https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Robledo_Puch
5. https://www.reddit.com/r/serialkillers/comments/1i2l57q/carlos_eduardo_robledo_puch_throughout_the_years/
6. https://dbpedia.org/page/Robledo_Puch
7. https://www.instagram.com/p/DIwcruoOnof/
8. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7204348/
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María Marta García Belsunce was a respected sociologist and social activist from an affluent Buenos Aires family, known for her work with NGOs and as vice-president of Missing Children Argentina. On October 27, 2002, she was found dead in her luxurious home within the exclusive gated community of Carmel Country Club in Pilar, Buenos Aires Province. Initially, her death was ruled an accident-thought to have been caused by a fall in the bathtub that led to a fatal head injury. The family and police accepted this explanation, and the investigation was initially closed.
However, about six weeks later, new forensic analysis dramatically altered the course of the case. It was revealed that María Marta had actually been shot five times in the head, confirming she was the victim of a cold-blooded murder. This shocking discovery ignited one of Argentina’s most controversial and widely followed criminal investigations, exposing a web of intrigue, alleged cover-ups, and judicial missteps.
The investigation explored several theories, including a failed robbery, possible links to drug cartels, and even conflicts within María Marta’s family. Her husband, Carlos Carrascosa, was arrested and charged with homicide, spending five years in prison before being acquitted due to insufficient evidence. Meanwhile, María Marta’s brother and half-brother faced charges of covering up the crime but were later acquitted.
Years of legal battles ensued, involving multiple trials and a total of thirteen people prosecuted. The case was marred by accusations of police negligence, tampering with forensic evidence, and judicial irregularities, which fueled public distrust. In a landmark 2024 ruling, Nicolás Pachelo, a neighbor and convicted criminal, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder, ending years of speculation about the true perpetrator.
Citations:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmel:_Who_Killed_Maria_Marta%3F
2. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/buenos-aires-province-court-sentences-nicolas-pachelo-to-life-imprisonment.phtml
3. https://epress.lib.uts.edu.au/journals/index.php/csrj/article/view/2138/2305
4. https://crimejunkiepodcast.com/murdered-maria-marta-garcia-belsunce-part-1/
5. https://www.hbo.com/maria-marta-el-crimen-del-country
6. https://lawyerz.com/api/caselaw/Mar%C3%ADa%20Marta%20Garc%C3%ADa%20Belsunce%20case%20(2002)
7. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt21285810/
8. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/2020/11/10144689/netflix-who-killed-maria-marta-suspects-now
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The Puccio Crime Clan is one of Argentina’s most chilling and bizarre criminal stories, unfolding between 1982 and 1985 in the affluent suburb of San Isidro, Buenos Aires. On the surface, the Puccios appeared to be a respectable, even enviable family. They lived in a large, well-kept house just two blocks from the cathedral, attended mass regularly, and were well integrated into their community. The father, Arquímedes Puccio, was a former intelligence agent allegedly involved in forced disappearances during Argentina’s Dirty War, while his eldest son, Alejandro, was a celebrated rugby player for the national team, the Pumas. His siblings were professionals and students, living seemingly normal lives.
However, behind this respectable facade lurked a dark and terrifying secret. Arquímedes, along with two of his sons, Alejandro and Daniel, and a small group of accomplices, orchestrated a series of kidnappings targeting wealthy Argentines. They abducted four victims, holding them captive in the family’s basement cellar while demanding ransoms from their families. The victims were bound, hooded, and kept in squalid conditions, unable to escape.
Tragically, three of the four victims were murdered despite ransom payments. Ricardo Manoukian, a 23-year-old friend of Alejandro’s, was kidnapped in 1982; his family paid a hefty ransom of $250,000, but he was executed with three shots to the head and his body discarded in a river. Engineer Eduardo Aulet was kidnapped in 1983, with his family paying $150,000, yet he too was killed and his remains discovered years later. Businessman Emilio Naum was killed during a failed abduction attempt in 1984. The fourth victim, businesswoman Nélida Bollini de Prado, was held captive for nearly a month but survived when police raided the Puccio home in August 1985.
The raid led to the arrest of Arquímedes, his sons Alejandro and Daniel, and their accomplices. The family’s neighbors and friends were stunned, many refusing to believe the accusations against such a seemingly upstanding family. The investigation revealed a disturbing blend of cold calculation and brutality, with the Puccios exploiting their social standing to mask their crimes.
Arquímedes and Alejandro received life sentences, while Daniel served a shorter term. The mother and daughters denied involvement and were never convicted, though suspicions lingered.
Citations:
1. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-34106282
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puccio_family
3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-34106282
4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arqu%C3%ADmedes_Puccio
5. https://www.screendaily.com/features/pablo-trapero-el-clan/5081086.article
6. https://goldenglobes.com/articles/foreign-film-submissions-2015-el-clan-argentina/
7. https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-clan/umc.cmc.5lbg48ic29yfqmk8mbtdvvnm0
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Marcelo Alejandro Antelo, infamously known as "The San La Muerte Killer," terrorized Buenos Aires in 2010 with a series of brutal murders and violent attacks that shocked Argentina. Born in 1988 into a deeply troubled family plagued by addiction and abuse, Antelo’s early life was marked by neglect and hardship. His grandmother struggled with alcoholism, his father battled drug addiction, and his mother was physically abusive, eventually expelling him from home due to his own worsening addiction to coca paste.
After a failed attempt to overcome his addiction through various rehabilitation centers and involvement in a fringe church, Antelo descended further into violence and crime. Between February and August 2010, he led a gang called "The Kindergarten Boys," targeting vulnerable individuals in the Flores neighborhood of Buenos Aires. His attacks were often sudden and ruthless, mostly occurring at night to avoid detection.
Antelo’s victims ranged from acquaintances to strangers, with no clear pattern or motive beyond robbery and personal grudges. Among his known victims was Rodrigo Ezcurra, a young philosophy student trying to recover from addiction, whom Antelo shot in cold blood during a robbery. He also killed Jorge Héctor Mansilla, a former flatmate who had expelled him due to his drug problems. Several other victims were shot multiple times, including Pablo Zaniuk and Marcelo Cabrera, who were gunned down in a brazen attack.
Antelo’s nickname derives from his devotion to San La Muerte, a pagan saint believed by some to grant protection and power in exchange for violent acts. He reportedly promised to kill regularly in exchange for this supernatural favor, adding a disturbing cult-like element to his crimes.
Captured in August 2010 after a tense police pursuit, Antelo denied responsibility and claimed evidence was planted against him. However, overwhelming ballistic evidence and witness testimony led to his conviction. In 2012, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, ending a terrifying reign that left Buenos Aires shaken by the random and brutal nature of his violence.
Citations:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcelo_Antelo
2. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-11144856
3. https://www.instagram.com/horrifying_history/p/DIecCH5x-kT/?api=Top%2Bpartners%E2%9C%88%EF%B8%8F%2Boffers%2Byou%2Bgreat%2Breturns%2Band%2Bfinancial%2Bfreedom.%2BTransactions%2Bare%2Beasy%2Band%2Bpleasant%2C%2Ballowing%2Byou%2Bto%2Benjoy%2Btrading.%2BWhile%2Btrading%2C%2Byou%2Bcan%2Bhave%2Bmore%2Btime%2Bto%2Benjoy%2Bthe%2Bhappiness%2Bthat%2Bfinancial%2Bfreedom%2Bbrings%2Bto%2Byou..alqk
4. https://www.guyhadleigh.com/blog/serial-killers-of-argentina
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_serial_killers_by_country
6. https://x.com/HorrifyingHist1/status/1919079582600135171
7. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/megan-marie-grant-315609231_megan-marie-on-instagram-the-san-la-muerte-activity-7167598703380267008-NTR-
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Francisco Antonio Laureana, infamously known as "The Satyr of San Isidro," was one of Argentina’s most notorious serial killers during the mid-1970s. Between 1974 and early 1975, Laureana terrorized the northern Buenos Aires suburb of San Isidro by raping and murdering at least 13 women, mostly young and vulnerable, in a spree that sparked widespread fear and panic.
Laureana’s early life remains somewhat obscure, but he was known to have been an intern at a Catholic school in Corrientes, where he allegedly committed his first known violent crime-a rape and murder of a nun-before fleeing to Buenos Aires. Settling in San Isidro, he worked as a craftsman selling jewelry and lived a seemingly normal family life, married with children. Yet beneath this facade lurked a brutal predator.
His attacks followed a chilling pattern: almost every Wednesday and Thursday around 6 p.m., a woman would disappear, often while sunbathing or waiting at bus stops. The victims were found shortly after in vacant lots, showing signs of savage rape and murder-some strangled, others shot with a .32 caliber revolver. Laureana was also a fetishist who stole rings, bracelets, and chains from his victims, keeping these trophies hidden in a boot at his home. He sometimes returned to crime scenes to relive his crimes.
The police, led by forensic expert Osvaldo Raffo, linked the murders through their modus operandi and psychological profiling, believing a single killer was responsible. Despite the terror he caused, Laureana managed to evade capture for months.
His downfall came on February 27, 1975, when an eight-year-old girl recognized him and alerted her mother, who contacted the police. When officers approached Laureana for questioning, he pulled a gun from his bag and opened fire, wounding an officer before fleeing. After a tense manhunt, police found him hiding in a chicken coop. A second shootout ensued, ending with Laureana’s death.
Though the authorities regretted killing him-hoping to interrogate him about his motives-the discovery of victim’s belongings in his home confirmed his guilt. His wife maintained his innocence, describing him as a loving husband and father, a stark contrast to the brutal killer he was.
Citations:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Antonio_Laureana
2. https://www.guyhadleigh.com/blog/serial-killers-of-argentina
3. https://killer.cloud/serial-killers/show/618/francisco-antonio-laureana
4. https://www.serialkillercalendar.com/Francisco%20Antonio%20LAUREANA.php
5. https://www.famousfix.com/topic/francisco-antonio-laureana-91111491
6. https://dfa.gov.ph/images/AMabini/C__Managepoint_sessions_Diane_Rar1423.pdf
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María Soledad Morales was a 17-year-old high school student from Catamarca, Argentina, whose brutal rape and murder in 1990 shocked the nation and exposed deep-rooted corruption and political cover-ups. On the night of September 7, 1990, Soledad attended a party in San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca, the provincial capital. There, her boyfriend, Luis Tula-who was 11 years older-kidnapped her and handed her over to a group of men, including Guillermo Luque, the son of a powerful national congressman, Ángel Luque.
Three days later, Soledad’s body was found dumped on a roadside seven kilometers from the city. The autopsy revealed horrific violence: she had been raped, suffered a broken jaw, a severely injured eye socket, and cigarette burns across her body. Authorities concluded she died of cardiac arrest caused by a forced cocaine overdose, likely administered to subdue her during the attack. Despite suspicions that multiple men were involved, only Tula and Luque faced trial.
The case quickly became a national scandal, highlighting the influence of political power in obstructing justice. Initial investigations stalled for months, and there were widespread accusations that the provincial government, controlled by the Saadi political dynasty, was protecting the perpetrators. Public outrage grew, fueled by candlelight marches led by Soledad’s teacher, Sister Pelloni, and intense media coverage. In response, then-President Carlos Menem federally intervened in Catamarca, removing the provincial governor to restore order.
After years of delays and a failed first trial marred by judicial bias, a retrial in 1997 convicted Guillermo Luque, sentencing him to 27 years for rape and murder. Luis Tula received a nine-year sentence for his role in the crime. Luque was released early in 2010 after serving two-thirds of his sentence, sparking further controversy.
Citations:
1. https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0188-252X2023000100125&lng=pt&nrm=iso&tlng=en
2. https://www.businessinsider.com/breaking-silence-maria-soledad-case-netflix-guillermo-luque-luis-tula-2024-10
3. https://www.aol.com/breaking-silence-maria-soledad-case-133600648.html
4. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1991/12/03/girls-death-sways-argentine-vote/e1a79aca-3d51-4755-8629-7471a82d4c6d/
5. https://go.gale.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA163107915&sid=sitemap&v=2.1&it=r&p=AONE&sw=w
6. https://screenrant.com/breaking-the-silence-maria-soledad-case-true-story/
7. https://www.imdb.com/news/ni64882215/
8. https://expo.uw.edu/expo/apply/706/proceedings/show?id=125735
