In January 2005, Isabella Mesa was born in the small town of Copacabana, Colombia. Raised primarily by her maternal grandmother, Isabella grew up in a single-parent household, with her mother, Sandra Mesa, frequently traveling to Mexico. Sandra’s trips were motivated by the hope of securing a better future for herself and her daughter, although this meant she and Isabella were often separated. Despite the physical distance, their relationship remained close. They spoke frequently, and many remarked on their sister-like bond, which was enhanced by the relatively small age difference between them.
Those who knew Isabella described her as a joyful and affectionate child. She was intelligent, playful, and full of life, qualities that made her stand out among her peers. Her beauty was also apparent from an early age, and she dreamed of becoming a model. Growing up in Medellín, where she lived with her grandmother, Isabella Mesa enjoyed a childhood filled with love and warmth, despite the challenges that came with having a mother who was often away.
Moving to Mexico
When Isabella turned 15, her life changed dramatically. In 2021, amidst Colombia’s growing unrest, her mother decided they needed to leave Medellín and move to Mexico. The escalating armed conflict in Colombia, combined with the political instability caused by President Iván Duque’s proposed tax reforms, had created an atmosphere of insecurity. Protests swept across the country, and the government’s heavy-handed response led to even more violence. Recognizing the dangers, Isabella Mesa agreed to the move, although it was difficult for her to leave behind her grandmother, friends, and the life she knew in Colombia.
Moving to León, Guanajuato, in Mexico, offered a fresh start for both mother and daughter. Isabella Mesa, now living with her mother full-time for the first time, felt a renewed sense of hope for the future. It was in Mexico that she began to pursue her long-held dream of becoming a model.
Once in León, Isabella’s modeling career took off quickly. Agencies and clients were captivated by her beauty and charisma, and it seemed as though her dream was well within reach. However, just a year after moving to Mexico, at the age of 16, Isabella Mesa found out she was pregnant. Her boyfriend at the time was supportive, and together they made the decision to embrace parenthood. With her mother Sandra’s help, Isabella navigated the challenges of pregnancy smoothly and, in time, gave birth to a baby boy named Maximiliano.
Motherhood brought immense joy to Isabella Mesa. She was determined to give her son the best possible life while continuing to chase her modeling ambitions. Shortly after Maximiliano’s birth, Isabella returned to her modeling career, skillfully balancing her professional life with her responsibilities as a new mother.
Two years after Maximiliano’s birth, Isabella and her son’s father ended their romantic relationship. Despite the breakup, the two remained on good terms, their relationship grounded in friendship and a shared commitment to their child. After the split, Isabella and her son moved back in with her mother, Sandra, and together they continued to form a supportive and loving family unit.
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The family made regular trips back to Colombia to visit friends and relatives, and in 2023, they traveled once again to their home country. It was during this visit that Isabella reconnected with an old acquaintance, Sebastián Villegas.
Reconnecting with Sebastián Villegas
Sebastián was two years older than Isabella Mesa, and the two had first met when Isabella was 13 and Sebastián was 15. At the time, Sebastián had tried to court her, but nothing serious had developed between them. However, they had stayed in touch over the years through social media, occasionally exchanging messages. When Sebastián learned that Isabella was back in Colombia for a visit, he invited her out, and this time, Isabella accepted.
Their relationship blossomed quickly, and though it became a long-distance one when Isabella Mesa returned to Mexico with her son, they stayed in touch daily. However, as the relationship progressed, Sebastián’s behavior took a troubling turn.
At first, the distance between Isabella Mesa and Sebastián seemed to be the root of his insecurities. He frequently questioned her about her work and her relationships, demanding to see her phone and asking her to share her screen during video calls so he could monitor her conversations. His jealousy became particularly focused on Isabella’s relationship with Maximiliano’s father, which he forbade her from maintaining.
Despite these early red flags, Isabella Mesa initially dismissed Sebastián’s behavior, assuming it was due to the challenges of a long-distance relationship. However, his possessiveness soon escalated. Sebastián began making increasingly disturbing comments, such as threatening to kill anyone he suspected of being involved with her and even implying that he might harm Isabella herself. He boasted about having killed a friend who had wronged him in the past, a statement that should have alarmed Isabella, but she rationalized it as part of his insecurity.
A Dangerous Decision Looms
Despite Sebastián’s troubling behavior, Isabella Mesa continued to believe that things would improve once they were together in person. They began discussing the possibility of Isabella moving back to Colombia with her son to live with Sebastián, thinking his job as a soldier would provide security and stability for their family.
Before making any permanent decisions, Isabella Mesa decided to visit Sebastián first. She planned to return to Colombia in mid-January 2024, hoping to celebrate her birthday with him and assess how their relationship would fare in person.
Sandra Mesa had grown increasingly uneasy over time, overhearing unsettling conversations between her daughter, Isabella Mesa, and her boyfriend, Sebastián Villegas. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong, but every time she voiced her concerns, Isabella reassured her. “Mom, I’m grown up now, please take good care of my son,” she’d say, trying to calm her mother’s nerves. Though worried, Sandra knew how headstrong her daughter could be and reluctantly agreed to let Isabella visit Colombia alone.
On January 25, 2024, Isabella Mesa arrived in Medellín, eager to reunite with Sebastián. He had taken leave from his military duties to spend time with her, hoping to strengthen their relationship. In the days that followed, Sebastián was always by Isabella’s side. Everywhere they went, he accompanied her, making it clear that he didn’t want her out of his sight. Despite the possessiveness that was now on full display, Isabella tried to ignore the warning signs, focusing instead on reconnecting with friends and family in her beloved city.
The Party at the Farm
Just three days after her arrival, on January 28th, Isabella Mesa and Sebastián attended a party thrown by some of her friends to celebrate her return to Colombia. The gathering took place at a farm, and Isabella was thrilled to see her old friends again. Her vibrant energy filled the room, as she chatted and laughed, basking in the joy of the reunion. But Sebastián, on the other hand, was quiet and withdrawn. He kept to himself, never straying far from Isabella’s side, casting jealous glances whenever a male friend approached her.
As the party began to wind down and guests started leaving, Isabella’s friends noticed a sudden argument between the couple. They heard Isabella’s voice rise above the fading conversations, and when they turned to look, they saw her pulling her arm away from Sebastián, pleading with him to let go. Sebastián, gripping her arm tightly, refused to release her, but when he realized they were being watched, he reluctantly loosened his grip. Trying to brush off the incident, the couple quickly left the party despite the efforts of her friends to convince Isabella Mesa to stay behind.
After leaving the party, Isabella Mesa and Sebastián headed to his family home. The day before, Sebastián had asked his mother if Isabella could stay the night, and his parents had eagerly agreed, looking forward to meeting the girl their son had spoken so highly of. However, Isabella would never meet them.
Later that day, Sebastián’s parents returned home after attending church. They were surprised to find Sebastián mopping the floor of the dining room, as this was a chore he rarely took part in. They assumed he was trying to impress Isabella Mesa and thought little of it. They greeted him and asked where Isabella was, to which Sebastián cryptically responded, “She’s upstairs.” As his parents busied themselves with preparing dinner, Sebastián disappeared to his room for a few minutes before returning to the dining room.
When Sebastián came back, he walked up to his mother, looked her directly in the eyes, and with an emotionless expression said, “I killed Isabella.” His mother froze, unable to process the horrifying words she had just heard. Before she could react, Sebastián calmly turned and walked out of the room, leaving the front door wide open behind him. It wasn’t until the sound of the door slamming echoed through the house that his mother snapped out of her shock. In a state of disbelief, she found her husband, and together, they made the gut-wrenching decision to report their son.
Reporting the Crime
Sebastián’s parents immediately went to the military unit where their son was stationed. His mother informed the superiors of what had transpired, but they advised the family that this was a matter for civilian authorities, not military law. The military unit then contacted the national police, ensuring that law enforcement was alerted to the situation.
Thanks to the swift actions of Sebastián’s mother, police officers arrived at the family home to begin their investigation. What they discovered was chilling. Inside Sebastián’s bedroom, they found a suitcase, blood leaking from its seams. When they opened it, they uncovered Isabella’s lifeless body, curled up with multiple wounds. Medical personnel soon confirmed what everyone feared—Isabella Mesa was dead.
The Aftermath and Confession
The discovery of Isabella’s body was devastating, and there was no doubt that Sebastián Villegas was the prime suspect in her murder. As the police pieced together the evidence, Sebastián’s mother faced the unbearable task of informing Isabella’s family. She searched through her son’s social media accounts, eventually finding Isabella’s mother, Sandra Mesa. With a heavy heart, she delivered the tragic news—her son had taken Isabella’s life.
Grief-stricken, Sandra immediately flew to Colombia, determined to bring her daughter home and seek justice. In her anguish, she recorded a video, pleading with the authorities not to let Isabella’s murder go unpunished.
Meanwhile, Sebastián remained at large. However, on the morning of January 29th, just hours after the crime, Sebastián Villegas surrendered himself to his military unit. Calm and remorseless, he was promptly arrested and handed over to the police. The military released a public statement condemning violence against women, while Sebastián was charged with aggravated femicide and gender-based violence. His calm demeanor throughout the process only added to the horror of the crime he had committed.
Public Outrage and Media Coverage
The murder of Isabella Mesa quickly became a national story, as the media picked up on the horrific details of the case. The brutality of her death shocked the country, and public outrage spread swiftly. What made the story even more heart-wrenching was that Isabella Mesa was a young mother, leaving her son Maximiliano without his mother. The public’s anger only intensified when a video surfaced showing the removal of Isabella’s body from Sebastián’s home, which ignited further debate about violence against women in Colombia.
The footage, which was widely circulated online, showed forensic investigators carrying Isabella’s body, wrapped in white plastic bags, down from the second floor of the house to an ambulance waiting outside. The handling of her body drew sharp criticism from social media users, who accused the investigators of showing a lack of respect. Viewers were appalled as the investigators appeared to struggle with the body, coming dangerously close to dropping it on the ground due to the absence of a stretcher or proper support equipment. The controversy only added to the already heated discussions surrounding the case.
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The First Judicial Hearing
On January 30, 2024, just two days after Isabella’s murder, the first judicial hearing was held. During the proceedings, Sebastián Villegas refused to accept the charges of aggravated femicide. He pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for a full investigation and trial. Despite his plea, the Attorney General’s Office presented the findings of Isabella’s autopsy, painting a gruesome picture of what had transpired.
According to the forensic report, Isabella Mesa had been severely beaten and stabbed 24 times—eight wounds to her neck, seven to her chest, thirteen to her abdomen, and six defensive wounds to her left forearm. These details revealed the extent of her suffering and the viciousness of the attack. Prosecutors highlighted the defensive wounds, indicating that Isabella had fought for her life during the assault. The prosecution also relied on testimony from Isabella’s friends, who had witnessed the couple’s heated argument just hours before the murder. Sebastián’s violent and possessive behavior towards Isabella that night further supported the theory that the crime was fueled by his controlling tendencies.
The investigation also revealed that Isabella Mesa’s body had been found curled up in a fetal position inside a suitcase, suggesting Sebastián had tried to conceal the crime. This chilling detail added to the overwhelming evidence against him. At the end of the hearing, the prosecution made a public statement, estimating that Sebastián faced up to 500 months in prison if convicted. They requested that he remain in custody while awaiting trial, a request the judge granted.
Following the hearing, Sandra Mesa, Isabella’s mother, expressed relief over the court’s decision to hold Sebastián in custody. In an emotional interview with the press, Sandra shared her pain and frustration, recalling the psychological abuse Isabella Mesa had endured at Sebastián’s hands. “He first destroyed her mentally, then with cruelty, kept stabbing her even after she was no longer alive,” she said. Sandra took the opportunity to speak to other mothers, urging them to trust their instincts and intervene if something feels wrong, no matter how old their daughters are. She emphasized that the warning signs had been there, but no one had anticipated the horrific outcome.
The Attempted Escape
Just a few days later, on February 3, 2024, an unsettling event took place at the police station where Sebastián was being held. It was a quiet night, with officers on duty performing their routine tasks, when Sebastián’s voice broke the silence. He had been in custody for only four days, yet he already seemed mentally and physically drained, according to the officers who observed him.
Sebastián requested permission to use the bathroom, even though it wasn’t the scheduled time. The officers, seeing nothing suspicious in the request, allowed him to go. However, as the minutes passed without him returning to his cell, the officers became concerned. When they checked the bathroom, they discovered that Sebastián had attempted to escape through a window. His plan was quickly foiled, and he was returned to his cell under stricter surveillance.
As Sebastián’s trial loomed, the public continued to demand justice for Isabella Mesa. The murder had sparked a national conversation about violence against women, with many calling for harsher penalties and more significant protections for women in abusive relationships. The case had become a symbol of the country’s broader struggle with gender-based violence, and many hoped that justice for Isabella would bring some measure of change.
The day after Sebastián Villegas’ attempted escape, both his family and Isabella’s were informed of the incident. Isabella’s family made the decision to release the news to the press, hoping to increase public pressure on the case. The authorities confirmed that Sebastián had been successfully recaptured, and an additional charge of attempted escape would be added to his case. This new charge would be addressed in the same trial as the aggravated femicide of Isabella Mesa.
For weeks, there were no major updates as the investigation continued in strict confidentiality. No new information surfaced about potential DNA evidence linking Sebastián to Isabella’s body. However, the prosecution remained persistent, and the defense struggled to build a solid case. These developments ultimately led to a significant breakthrough in the case.
Sebastián Accepts the Charges
On April 17, after a lengthy judicial process, it was revealed that Sebastián had finally decided to accept the charges against him. Despite his initial reluctance, this outcome was achieved through a deal offered by the Attorney General’s Office, which promised a sentencing reduction in exchange for a confession. According to the defense lawyer, Sebastián agreed to confess in exchange for a 25% reduction in his sentence. Although the deal secured a confession, it did little to alleviate the grim reality of his crime.
With the deal in place, Sebastián’s original sentence, which ranged between 500 and 600 months (approximately 42 to 50 years), was reduced to 375 months—31 years and three months in total. This meant that the now 21-year-old would be released at the age of 52, with no chance of returning to the military.
News of the deal between Sebastián and the prosecution was met with widespread outrage across Colombia. Many had been closely following Isabella Mesa’s case and were frustrated by the slow progress over the preceding months. The public viewed the reduced sentence as a miscarriage of justice, given the brutality of the crime.
In response to the backlash, authorities reassured the public that Sebastián would not be eligible for any further sentence reductions due to the severity of his crime. He would not be able to lower his sentence through good behavior, nor would he be eligible for house arrest in the future.
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The Final Sentencing
On May 9, 2024, the long-awaited final hearing took place. Sebastián faced charges of aggravated femicide, gender-based violence, and attempted escape. During the hearing, the court sentenced him to 31 years and three months in prison for the murder of 19-year-old Isabella Mesa. A young mother and rising model, Isabella had been living in Mexico with her two-year-old son, Maximiliano, before her life was tragically cut short. After a grueling five-month ordeal, Isabella Mesa’s family finally received the justice they had sought.
Following the sentencing, Isabella’s mother, Sandra Mesa, expressed her gratitude to the Colombian people for their support throughout the heartbreaking process. In an emotional interview, she reflected on her relationship with her daughter: “For me, she was everything. As a mother, Isabella Mesa was my first love, my daughter, my friend, and in many ways, my sister.”
Sandra, who had fought tirelessly for justice, took legal custody of her grandson Maximiliano, sharing guardianship with the child’s father. Although the trial had concluded, the pain of losing Isabella Mesa would remain with her forever.
A Broader Issue of Femicide in Colombia
Isabella Mesa’s tragic case was just one of many in Colombia in 2024. In the first half of the year alone, 412 femicides were reported, the majority of which were committed by jealous partners, boyfriends, or husbands. Between May 2023 and May 2024—the same period during which Sebastián was convicted—there were 830 similar cases across the country. In this same time frame, more than 140,000 complaints were filed for domestic and gender-based violence.
Colombia remains one of the most dangerous countries in Latin America for women. Despite this harsh reality, the case of Isabella Mesa reached a just conclusion, thanks in large part to the actions of Sebastián’s mother. Moved by the gravity of the crime, she made the difficult decision to report her own son, helping ensure that justice would be served. Sandra Mesa remains deeply grateful to her for refusing to cover up the crime, allowing both herself and her grandson to find a semblance of closure amidst the overwhelming grief.
