The Unfolding Drama in the Federal Courtroom
In a courtroom that could have easily been a set for a gripping legal drama, the Federal Oral Court 1 was bustling, not with the media circus we often see, but with the heavy hearts of those forever changed by the untimely demise of Darío Monges. On one side, the victim’s family—pain written all over their faces; on the other, separated by a mere meter (isn’t that lovely, a foot apart in a fight for justice?), sat the accused: Roberto Catalino and his sons, David and Santiago Bejarano.
The tension in the air was palpable as José Carrizo, a criminalistics whiz from the Fiscal Investigation Corps (CIF), took to the stand. Now, if you think courtroom dramas are just about heated debates and grandstanding lawyers, let me tell you something: Carrizo’s testimony was the real nail-biter. He laid out evidence that could turn the tables on the defendants quicker than a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat. And trust me, you wouldn’t want to find yourself on the wrong end of one of his trick shots…
The Gruesome Details
So, let’s rewind: the heart of the case investigates the brutal murder of the evidently well-connected Monges, whose body was found in a not-so-welcoming neighborhood on September 3, 2022. Shot five times in a manner that would make anyone question their life choices, Monges wasn’t just another statistic—he was a political advisor, for goodness’ sake!
Naturally, authorities took a closer look at the Bejaranos. They were charged with “homicide qualified by treachery” (my, oh my, aren’t we fancy with our legal jargon?) and possession of narcotics! This is a family that, if they weren’t already infamous, sure made a case for a new crime drama series. The original investigation was shuttled from the provincial to the federal level, because let’s face it, nobody likes a lightweight charge when you can have all the heavy lifting!
Crime Scene Investigation Like You’ve Never Seen
Carrizo’s presentation was graphic—blood stains, bullet hole riddled photos, and yes, even a cigarette butt that had the audacity to make an appearance just meters away from Monges’ white EcoSport. They really should try out for some reality TV—it’s basically the American dream!
As images of Monges’ grim fate flashed before the court, the family bore the brunt of the evidence like a tragic Shakespearean play, while the Bejaranos struggled to maintain a façade of indifference—heads down, eyes on the floor, as if they were trying to disappear into the linoleum. Newsflash: it’s not working.
According to Carrizo, blood found on both the victim and his car was directly linking the three Bejaranos to the crime scene—a genetic trifecta that seemed to shout, “They did it!” Not quite the family reunion one dreams of, huh?
Beware of the Ex-Partners
You think the drama ends there? Nope! Enter Guadalupe Cabezas, Monges’ partner, who stepped into the courtroom as if she was the final boss of this intense game of legal chess. She delicately navigated through their strained past, but also shared insights into the motives swirling in this dark, murky water.
And what a tangled web we weave! When she learned the suspects were the Bejaranos, she admitted she had her suspicions. But it seems the plot thickened like your grandma’s famous stew: full of flavorful possibilities, but ultimately confusing and very hard to digest. There was even a mention of the police being involved! Forget the bearded man in the park—this is a conspiracy to bring the neighborhood crime rate to a new high!
The Friend Who Knew Too Much
Ah, and let’s not overlook Diego Aquino—a fellow who popped up like the unexpected plot twist. Friends, I don’t know how to say this without feeling slightly guilty—he’s been arrested and is known to associate with some of Salta’s finest criminal talents, including a hitman! Dearly beloved, we gather here today…
Aquino described Monges as “generous,” and while we all appreciate generosity, it’s important to choose your friends wisely, wouldn’t you agree? All this while he was allegedly mingling with fellow ne’er-do-wells farther away than most of us would prefer when this unfortunate event occurred. It’s like saying, “I was in another country when my house burned down”—ideal for defense but not great for credibility!
As the trial unfolds, we can only watch with popcorn in hand, because this courtroom saga is setting itself up to be quite the spectacle. Will justice be served, or will we find ourselves tangled in yet another web of deceit and drama rivaling that of any soap opera? Stay tuned, my friends, stay tuned!
The room of the Federal Oral Court 1 was filled again. On one side the family of the victim, Darío Monges, and on the other, separated by one meter, relatives of the accused: Roberto Catalino and his sons David and Santiago Bejarano. Defendants who yesterday had to listen to Mr. José Carrizo, a Criminalistics professional from the Fiscal Investigation Corps (CIF), who presented indictment evidence that could complicate matters for the defendants.
The case that is being developed in TOF 1 of the capital of Salta investigates the ruthless crime against Darío Monges, whose body was found on September 3, 2022 in the Círculo I neighborhood, southern area of the city. Indicted as a political advisor, the victim was shot five times in the head.
The Bejaranos came to trial accused of “homicide qualified by treachery and use of a firearm and possession of narcotics for marketing purposes in real competition.” The case was first investigated by the provincial Public Prosecutor’s Office and then, due to drug trafficking issues, it went to federal jurisdiction.
Mr. Carrizo, coordinator of the crime scene in the Criminalistics area, was the second witness to testify after Diego Aquino, a friend of Monges, and before Guadalupe Cabezas, the victim’s partner. The CIF professional gave a detailed presentation of the work his team carried out after being alerted about the discovery of the body in the El Círculo I neighborhood.
He described the external work that was done at the site, where they lifted, among other items, a cigarette butt meters from where Monges’ white EcoSport was, and also the internal description of the vehicle. It was there where he certified and presented relevant evidence.
While the images were passing, captures of the file, the lawyer was explaining them. Very hard captures of Monges’ body riddled with bullets. Monges’ family once again observes said evidence without perhaps being able to understand, while the accused try not to look, lower their heads and remain on the sidelines.
Blood stains on the victim’s body but also on the passenger seat of the EcoSport, bloody footprints of different sizes that show that these are genetic traces of the three Bejaranos. According to Carrizo, these traces place David in the passenger seat; there were also traces of him on the steering wheel and the gear lever. Then the scent trails put Catalino and Santiago in the back seats of the car, the first in the middle and his son on the left side.
According to the reconstruction explained by the lawyer, Monges’ body was moved from the place, it went from being on the passenger side to being positioned where it was found: in the driver’s seat. In this last place, there were no blood stains on the seat, but on the right side.
Without the press
Without the presence of the press, Guadalupe Cabezas, partner of Darío Monges, entered the room. He mentioned that in 2020 they had had relationship problems, that it was difficult for them to make ends meet and other issues.
He ratified what he had declared in the Preparatory Criminal Investigation (IPP) regarding the uncertainty surrounding such a crime. When he found out that the suspects were the Bejarano, he told a family member that “it was one of the options he was considering” about the alleged suspects. perpetrators of the homicide. Under cross-examination by the defense, he said that another option pointed to the “police.”
“I don’t usually have friends and Dario was one of them”
Another of the witnesses who passed through the room yesterday was Diego Aquino.
In the middle of the interrogation by the Prosecutor’s Office, led by Dr. Eduardo Villalba, of the witness Diego Aquino, the defender Clarisa Galán burst in to object before the court on the grounds that they were directed questions and a lot of time was given to the accusing body, “when in “They actually had two years to do it,” she emphasized and added that for them “it is something surprising.”
In counterpoint, the Attorney General took the floor to point out that it was an “absolutely inadmissible” request. The judges unanimously decided to reject the defense’s request.
Aquino is a man with a criminal record, he was detained, and he was an intermediary between the actions of Darío Monges and the hitman Alejandro “Cabezón” Díaz, the latter currently detained in the Villa Las Rosas prison. The witness said he was a friend of Monges, whom he described as a generous person. “I don’t usually have friends and Darío was one of my friends,” he noted.
He said that at the time of the crime he and a group of friends were on a farm, going to Bolivia, about “70 kilometers from the international bridge,” a meeting where Monges said he gave up going.
Aquino also maintained that Darío had asked him to accompany him to see Gringo Palavecino, and so they were both in the house of another of the Salta hitmen currently detained in the Ezeiza federal prison, accused of being linked to several criminal cases.
