In the case of the triple murder at the California hotel in the Barracas neighborhood of Buenos Aires, it is revealed that the accused, Justo Fernando Barrientos, threw a molotov cocktail into the room where four lesbian women were staying, causing the deaths of Andrea Amarante, Pamela Cobbas, and Roxana Castro. However, Sofía Castro Riglos managed to survive.
According to the document presented, the assaults on the women also stemmed from their lesbian cohabitation in the hotel, where they shared spaces with the accused. It is noted that the initial investigation presented significant deficiencies, such as the lack of preservation of the crime scene, the absence of subsequent measures of evidence, and the lack of care for the victims' belongings for forensic analysis.
Sofía Castro Riglos has collaborated with evidence that shows the lack of support from Andrea's family and the difficulties they faced as an equal couple. The initial judicial resolution did not consider the crime as an act of gender-based violence but as a "neighborhood conflict," despite the evident prior harassment by the accused towards the victims.
LGBTIQ+ organizations have held tributes and demonstrations demanding justice for the victims and restitution for Sofía. There is a notable lack of gender perspective in the investigation and the recusal of the presiding judge due to re-victimization and lack of impartiality. Sofía fears that these actions may jeopardize the pursuit of justice in this case that has shocked the community.
The accused is currently in preventive detention at the Ezeiza Penitentiary Complex, charged with double aggravated homicide. Despite calls from civil society, the case continues to generate controversy regarding the lack of recognition of gender-based violence in this tragedy.
