Four people have been arrested in Argentina following the brutal slaying of two women and a teenager, whose alleged torture authorities say was shared on social media.
The dismembered remains of Brenda del Castillo, 20, Morena Verdi, 20, and Lara Morena Gutiérrez, 15, were discovered on Wednesday, Sept. 24, in Florencio Varela, roughly 16 miles south of Buenos Aires, according to local authorities, Pagina 12, Cadena 3, and La Nacion.
The victims had been reported missing since Friday, Sept. 19, according to the outlets.
Investigators suspect the killings were carried out by a Peruvian drug trafficker, Cadena 3, La Nacion, and Clarin reported.
Authorities say the alleged motive behind the murders was a warning: “This is what happens to those who steal drugs from me,” investigators revealed, according to Cadena 3 and La Nacion. It was not immediately clear whether the message was written or presented alongside the alleged torture.
Investigators believe the women and the teen were lured into a van with the promise of a party, according to Pagina 12, the Buenos Aires Herald, and Cadena 3.
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An examination of their remains suggests they were likely killed in the early hours of Saturday, Sept. 20. Authorities report that the victims were subjected to extreme torture. Morena reportedly had her five left fingers and one ear severed, according to La Nacion. Castillo was stabbed to death before her attackers allegedly cut open her abdomen, per an autopsy cited by the outlet.
The torture was allegedly broadcast on social media within a closed group of around 45 people, Buenos Aires Security Minister Javier Alonso confirmed, according to El Trece TV, Cadena 3, and La Nacion.
Authorities discovered the remains in a well inside a house dubbed the “house of horrors.” The location was identified using the victims’ cell phone signals, reported La Nacion, Pagina 12, and Clarin.
The discovery sparked widespread protests in Buenos Aires, with demonstrators calling for an end to gender-based violence, according to local media.
Four individuals have been arrested, though their identities have not been publicly released. One of those detained informed police that the murders were orchestrated by a Peruvian drug trafficker. Those arrested were expected to face charges on Thursday, La Nacion reported.
