In the lively neighborhood of Villa Lugano, Buenos Aires, Gabriela Villarroel grew up navigating the challenges of adolescence. Born in 1998 to Bolivian parents, her life took a difficult turn when her parents separated at the age of six. From that point, Gabriela Villarroel was raised by her mother, Liliana, and her stepfather, César García. Their bustling home included Gabriela’s maternal grandmother, aunt Isabel, Isabel’s husband Néstor, and several tenants who rented rooms.
Gabriela Villarroel
Gabriela Villarroel was known for her quiet, modest nature. Unlike many teenagers, she avoided loud social events and parties. She had no interest in wearing makeup or flashy clothing, preferring to keep a low profile. Yet, like any adolescent, she had her moments of rebellion. Her calm demeanor occasionally gave way to heated arguments with family members, particularly her grandmother.
Her closest confidante was her younger sister, four years her junior. They shared a deep bond, often discussing their dreams and frustrations. Eventually, the tension at home became too much to bear, and the sisters made a drastic decision to run away from home. They sought refuge with their paternal aunt, Marisol, staying with her for a week. Gabriela Villarroel hoped to live with her biological father, but he was struggling with his own issues and refused to take her in.
By 2016, Gabriela Villarroel was in her final year of high school, an important milestone. However, financial difficulties burdened the family, and Gabriela Villarroel needed to find ways to support her education. With no access to a computer or the internet at home, she and her sister regularly visited a nearby cybercafé, just a few blocks away.
The Day She Disappeared
Friday, July 29, 2016, began like any other day. Gabriela Villarroel left home around 1:00 PM with her sister, planning to spend time at the cybercafé. Two blocks before they reached their destination, Gabriela Villarroel told her sister she was going to wait for her boyfriend, a 20-year-old she had arranged to meet. Her sister continued on, unaware that this would be the last time she would see Gabriela Villarroel.
Later that day, Gabriela’s boyfriend arrived at their home, asking if anyone had seen her. The family had assumed the two were together, but his concern suggested otherwise. Gabriela Villarroel had disappeared, just five blocks from her home.
Initially, the family believed Gabriela might have gone to stay with her paternal relatives, as she had done before. However, her aunt Marisol confirmed she hadn’t seen or heard from Gabriela Villarroel. Worry turned into panic when attempts to reach Gabriela by phone and social media were met with silence. Her phone remained active until about 7:00 PM, and her social media accounts showed activity, but no responses came from her.
In the early hours of the following day, her mother reported her missing at the local police station. The family also organized a protest in their community, hoping to gather any information that could lead to her return.
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Troubling Revelations
As investigators began interviewing family members, friends, and neighbors, unsettling stories emerged. Several people reported seeing Gabriela Villarroel in the company of an older man from the neighborhood, but these details had been kept quiet out of fear or uncertainty. One neighbor mentioned seeing Gabriela on a bus with a man who sat unusually close to her, even stroking her hair. Gabriela had introduced him as her uncle.
This information led investigators to focus on Gabriela’s uncle by marriage, Néstor. Born on August 18, 1986, Néstor had been working for the Argentine Naval Prefecture since February 2016. After his separation from Gabriela’s aunt Isabel, he moved into a nearby boarding house but remained close to the family.
Néstor was interrogated multiple times, but his statements were inconsistent, and his anxiety was evident. He claimed that his phone had been stolen along with a large sum of money, but these explanations only raised more suspicions. Despite this, he was initially released after each round of questioning.
The Shocking Confession
Under mounting pressure from the investigation, Néstor’s story began to unravel. He initially claimed to have withdrawn money from an ATM but was unable to specify which one. As investigators closed in, Néstor finally cracked. He confessed to knowing where Gabriela Villarroel was and delivered the devastating news that she was no longer alive.
The confession sent shockwaves through her family, shattering their hopes for a different outcome.
In a chilling confession, Néstor admitted to authorities that Gabriela’s body was hidden in the room he had rented, located just a short distance from her home. He revealed that during an argument, things escalated, and in a moment of rage, he took her life. Security footage corroborated his confession, showing the two of them walking toward the location he described.
On August 2nd, police raided Néstor’s room. What they found was horrifying—Gabriela’s body, wrapped in a sheet and placed inside four large garbage bags, clearly prepared for disposal. Forensic specialists processed the scene, initially suspecting a sexual motive. However, what they uncovered was even more sinister.
Gabriela Villarroel’s family was devastated. Her stepfather expressed his disbelief to the media, saying that Néstor had always seemed like a normal uncle and had never caused any problems while living under the same roof. Gabriela’s aunt, who had cooperated fully with the investigation, was equally stunned. No one had suspected Néstor up until his arrest.
Though the family now knew who had committed the crime, the motive was still unclear—until the truth came out during Néstor’s testimony.
The Hidden Relationship
To the family’s horror, Néstor confessed that he and Gabriela had been involved in a secret romantic relationship for years, which had even led to the breakup of his marriage. He had rented the room specifically to carry out this affair, and Gabriela had been visiting him there in secret.
Gabriela’s younger sister and friends confirmed this disturbing relationship, which had started when Gabriela Villarroel was just 13 years old and Néstor was 25. Descriptions of the relationship painted a toxic picture, filled with jealousy and physical abuse. Gabriela’s friends recalled incidents where Néstor had assaulted her due to his possessiveness, and audio messages on her phone revealed instances of verbal abuse and threats.
The situation had worsened in the months leading up to her death, especially after Gabriela Villarroel began dating a new boyfriend, which enraged Néstor and led to more violent confrontations.
Forensic experts determined that Gabriela Villarroel had died from mechanical asphyxiation caused by manual strangulation. Their analysis showed that the crime had taken place on Sunday morning, meaning she had been alive for a day and a half after her disappearance. This information shocked the community, who rallied around Gabriela’s family, staging protests and calling for justice. Demonstrators demanded action against femicide, a growing issue in their neighborhood and beyond.
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The Trial and the Fight for Justice
Despite Néstor’s confession, he later attempted to retract his statement, claiming he had been coerced by police and denied legal representation during questioning. He insisted that his rights had been violated, and that he had only been a witness in the early stages of the investigation, not a suspect.
However, the evidence against Néstor was overwhelming. The most damning piece of evidence was that Gabriela’s body had been found exactly where he had said it would be. In March 2018, Néstor stood trial for the murder of Gabriela Villarroel. The Prosecutor charged him with aggravated homicide due to the familial relationship and because it was a case of gender-based violence.
DNA evidence found under Gabriela’s fingernails matched Néstor’s genetic profile, further linking him to the crime. Although Néstor had no prior criminal record and maintained steady employment, these factors did little to lessen the severity of his actions. Gabriela’s young age, the trust she had placed in him, and the brutality of the crime were enough for the prosecution to seek a life sentence.
The Family’s Fight for a Harsher Sentence
The family’s attorney pushed for an even harsher charge of triple-aggravated homicide, citing cruelty, premeditation, and femicide. She argued that Néstor’s crime was meticulously planned and executed. On July 29, 2016, he had lured Gabriela to his rented room, took her life, and attempted to hide her body in a calculated effort to cover up his actions.
The attorney highlighted the abusive nature of the relationship, using testimonies from Gabriela’s friends and the threatening messages Néstor had sent as evidence of his control and manipulation. The crime, she argued, had been years in the making, born out of a toxic, violent relationship that ultimately ended in Gabriela’s tragic death.
As the trial concluded, Gabriela’s family and the entire community waited for justice to be served, hoping that her death would not be in vain and that her case would bring attention to the pervasive issue of femicide in their society.
The prosecution argued that Néstor’s inability to accept Gabriela’s decision to end their relationship ultimately led to the tragic event. They emphasized that this crime was a direct consequence of deeply ingrained toxic machismo, a cultural mindset that views women as the property of their partners. In such a society, women are expected to submit to men’s desires, depriving them of the right to live free from fear, coercion, and violence, particularly within their romantic and sexual relationships.
The family’s legal team pointed to forensic evidence that revealed signs of cruelty in Gabriela’s injuries, indicating that she had suffered significantly before her death. They argued that Néstor’s actions were not only violent but premeditated. He had lured Gabriela Villarroel to a place where she had no way of defending herself. As a member of the security forces, Néstor’s position of authority was viewed as an aggravating factor in the case, further justifying the family’s demand for a life sentence.
The Defense’s Counterarguments
Néstor’s defense attorney countered these claims by arguing that Néstor’s basic legal rights had been violated during the investigation and trial. According to the defense, the court had heavily relied on what they described as a “spontaneous confession” made under extreme stress. Néstor had been in a highly nervous state, lacking the mental clarity to provide a valid confession. His attorney asked the court to nullify this confession, asserting that it had been obtained improperly at a police station rather than in a judicial setting.
Following Néstor’s retraction of his confession, the defense also sought to nullify the search of his residence and the subsequent forensic examinations. They pointed out the discovery of DNA from an unidentified male on Gabriela’s body, arguing that this raised questions about Néstor’s sole involvement in the crime. The defense further challenged the legal basis for the charges of femicide and aggravated homicide. They claimed that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove the crime was gender-based and that Néstor and Gabriela’s relationship did not qualify as a romantic one under civil law.
Despite these efforts, the court rejected all of the defense’s claims. In April of that year, Néstor was found guilty of double-aggravated homicide, both for his familial relationship with Gabriela Villarroel and for the femicide of his niece. He was sentenced to life in prison.
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A Final Verdict and Its Impact
In May 2021, the National Criminal Court of Appeals upheld Néstor’s life sentence after reviewing all of the evidence. The case, situated within the broader issue of gender-based violence, reignited important conversations about the need for stronger state interventions to protect women and prevent such crimes. It also raised significant concerns about how law enforcement agencies screen candidates for positions of authority and the responsibility of individuals in such roles to serve and protect the public.
This case shed light on the destructive power dynamics that can exist within families and the tragic consequences that can arise when those entrusted with the safety of others abuse their authority.
