José Luis Cabezas
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José Luis Cabezas (
Wilde, Buenos Aires Wilde is a city in the Avellaneda Partido, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Wilde is the most populous district in Avellaneda, with a total of 65,881 inhabitants (as of a 2001 census). It is a part of the Greater Buenos Aires urban agglomerati ...
, 28 November 1961 – General Madariaga, 25 January 1997) was an
Argentine Argentines (mistakenly translated Argentineans in the past; in Spanish (masculine) or (feminine)) are people identified with the country of Argentina. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Argentines, s ...
news
photographer A photographer (the Greek language, Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who makes photographs. Duties and types of photographe ...
and reporter who worked for '' Noticias'', a leading local
newsmagazine A news magazine is a typed, printed, and published magazine, radio or television program, usually published weekly, consisting of articles about current events. News magazines generally discuss stories, in greater depth than do newspapers or new ...
. Cabezas gained notoriety after he was kidnapped and killed by people hired by
Alfredo Yabrán Alfredo Enrique Nalib Yabrán (1 November 1944 – 20 May 1998) was a businessman in Argentina, with close links with the government, in particular with the administration of Carlos Saúl Menem. Yabrán killed himself while facing arrest for susp ...
in retaliation for having taken a photo of him in
Pinamar Pinamar is an Argentine coastal resort city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Buenos Aires Province. It has about 45,000 inhabitants (2020). Located less than south of Buenos Aires, it is one of several small seaside communities that ...
–a seaside resort in Atlantic Coast– in February 1996. The photo, which displayed Yabrán and his wife, was published on the cover of ''Noticias'' magazine in March 1996, unveiling Yabrán's face to public. The murder of Cabezas was widely covered by the Argentine media and was a shock not only for the society but for some of the most renowned politicians of that time, which had close ties with Yabrán.A 25 años del crimen del fotógrafo José Luis Cabezas
on Infobae, 25 Jan 2022. by Fernanda Jara


Kidnapping and murder

On 25 January 1997, Cabezas was
murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
ed at
Pinamar Pinamar is an Argentine coastal resort city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Buenos Aires Province. It has about 45,000 inhabitants (2020). Located less than south of Buenos Aires, it is one of several small seaside communities that ...
, Argentina's most exclusive
beach resort A seaside resort is a town, village, or hotel that serves as a vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, such as in the German ' ...
on the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
, visited by politicians, businessmen, actors, sports figures and other
celebrities Celebrity is a condition of fame and broad public recognition of a person or group as a result of the attention given to them by mass media. An individual may attain a celebrity status from having great wealth, their participation in sports ...
. Cabezas was
kidnap In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
ped after being the first to make public photographs of
Alfredo Yabrán Alfredo Enrique Nalib Yabrán (1 November 1944 – 20 May 1998) was a businessman in Argentina, with close links with the government, in particular with the administration of Carlos Saúl Menem. Yabrán killed himself while facing arrest for susp ...
, a
postal service The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal syst ...
mogul Mogul may refer to: History *Mughal Empire, or any member of its ruling dynasty Persons * Magnate ** Mogul, Secret Service codename for President Trump ** Business magnate, a prominent person in a particular industry **Media mogul, a person who ...
. He was beaten,
handcuff Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet tha ...
ed,
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons such as punishment, extracting a confession, interrogation for information, or intimidating third parties. Some definitions are restricted to acts c ...
d, and taken to a pit in the countryside where he was shot twice to the head and killed. His body was placed inside a vehicle rented by ''Noticias'', and burned.NO ME EXCITA EL FANTASMA YABRÁN
on Revista Anfibia by Juan Luis González, Jan 2022
The murder occurred during the provincial government of
Eduardo Duhalde Eduardo Alberto Duhalde (; born 5 October 1941) is an Argentine Peronist politician who served as the interim President of Argentina from January 2002 to May 2003. He also served as Vice President and Governor of Buenos Aires in the 1990s. Bor ...
in the
Province of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
, and was seen as a possible criminal message from the police in the
province of Buenos Aires Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
area to its management, "They threw a corpse at me" said shortly after the event the
President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...
Carlos Saul Menem, who had promised to clarify the case, but there was strong criticism of him by the way the research was carried out and because of his close links with
Alfredo Yabrán Alfredo Enrique Nalib Yabrán (1 November 1944 – 20 May 1998) was a businessman in Argentina, with close links with the government, in particular with the administration of Carlos Saúl Menem. Yabrán killed himself while facing arrest for susp ...
himself. It also happened just as the press in Argentina enjoyed the best public image. ''Noticias'' was and is still known for its exposures of allegedly corrupt individuals and institutions. The murder of Cabezas was viewed as an attack on independent
journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...
by those institutions. The media, journalist associations, human rights groups and many lay people took to the streets to ask for swift justice; there were marches, caravans of vehicles and trains, public rallies, all sorts of homages, photo expositions. A popular slogan, ''No se olviden de Cabezas'' ("Don't forget Cabezas") became the symbol for this need of justice and a warning for those unaware of the people's frustration with impunity.


Investigation

The investigation led, on the one hand, to the detention of five people linked to the owner of a
brothel A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub par ...
at
Mar del Plata Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a s ...
's port (they were known as ''Los Pepitos''). On the other hand, a police informant called Carlos Redruello, a police officer called Gustavo Prellezo and four minors from
La Plata La Plata () is the capital city of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. According to the , it has a population of 654,324 and its metropolitan area, the Greater La Plata, has 787,294 inhabitants. It is located 9 kilometers (6 miles) inland from th ...
area (called ''Los Horneros'') were taken in custody. In each case the public largely believed that these people were being used as scapegoats, in order to cover up maneuvers by
Buenos Aires Province Buenos Aires (), officially the Buenos Aires Province (''Provincia de Buenos Aires'' ), is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of th ...
Governor
Eduardo Duhalde Eduardo Alberto Duhalde (; born 5 October 1941) is an Argentine Peronist politician who served as the interim President of Argentina from January 2002 to May 2003. He also served as Vice President and Governor of Buenos Aires in the 1990s. Bor ...
. Prellezo was linked to two other policemen, Sergio Cammarata and Aníbal Luna, who had been shadowing Cabezas, and were also detained. Prellezo's wife, Silvia Belawsky (also a police officer), was revealed to have requested background information on Cabezas a few weeks before the crime. Two distinct lines of investigation took shape. One focused on
Buenos Aires Provincial Police The Buenos Aires Provincial Police (Spanish: ''Policía de la Provincia de Buenos Aires'', informally ''Policía Bonaerense'') is the police service responsible for policing the Province of Buenos Aires, in Argentina. It is one of the biggest pol ...
(''Policía Bonaerense''); the other on one of the prominent businessman
Alfredo Yabrán Alfredo Enrique Nalib Yabrán (1 November 1944 – 20 May 1998) was a businessman in Argentina, with close links with the government, in particular with the administration of Carlos Saúl Menem. Yabrán killed himself while facing arrest for susp ...
. ''Noticias'' published an investigation about the, alleging that Buenos Aires police's practices were plagued with corruption and illegal violence, and that they had ties to
prostitution Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...
,
drug trafficking A drug is any chemical substance that causes a change in an organism's physiology or psychology when consumed. Drugs are typically distinguished from food and substances that provide nutritional support. Consumption of drugs can be via insuffla ...
, and illegal
gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...
. The title of this article, ''Maldita Policía'' ("Damned Police"), became the nickname of the Police service in the media. Alfredo Yabrán allowed no one to take photos of him, and was proud to claim that not even the intelligence services had one, even though he was one of the most notorious businessmen on Argentina. He had good relations with the government and a way to eliminate competition. Several journalists who had tried to get into Yabrán's secrets had been threatened or attacked. In 1996, José Luis Cabezas took a picture of Yabrán in Pinamar and ''Noticias'' published it, along with news about his businesses. In 1997, Cabezas and his fellow journalist Gabriel Michi continued the investigation, ultimately trying to get an interview. Cabezas and Michi then began to see signs that their research was bothering Yabrán. The murder took place a few days later.


Sentence and further development

The trial conducted on February 2, 2000, condemned to life imprisonment all the eight members of the band called "Los Horneros" : Horacio Braga, Joseph Auge, Sergio González, Héctor Retana and Gregorio Ríos, Sergio Camaratta, Aníbal Luna and Gustavo Aníbal Prellezo, but currently they have all been released. Destiny of those involved: * Gustavo Prellezo, policeman former officer and inspector of the Buenos Aires police, was sentenced to life imprisonment but was benefited from house arrest the 23 September 2010 for health reasons (he had an hernia). * Miguel Retana, convicted, died in prison. He was the only member convicted that confessed and accused Gustavo Prellezo of being both, the leader and shooter. * Sergio Aníbal Camaratta, a policeman from
Pinamar Pinamar is an Argentine coastal resort city located on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean in Buenos Aires Province. It has about 45,000 inhabitants (2020). Located less than south of Buenos Aires, it is one of several small seaside communities that ...
, was sentenced to life imprisonment, but was later released after paying a 40,000 pesos bail. He currently works in a security firm in pinamar called "Servicio Organizado de Seguridad" (SOS) (which he denied). The agency, owned by the owners of the Constructora del Bosque, is in the name of Silvia Melgarejo Rosana, wife of Camaratta who drive around pinamar in a brand new Toyota 4x4 and a Jeep even if he claims to be unemployed. * Aníbal Luna, was sentenced to life imprisonment but was released and is also working in pinamar in the security firm Servicio Organizado de Seguridad (SOS). * Gregorio Rios, head of custody and close friend of
Alfredo Yabrán Alfredo Enrique Nalib Yabrán (1 November 1944 – 20 May 1998) was a businessman in Argentina, with close links with the government, in particular with the administration of Carlos Saúl Menem. Yabrán killed himself while facing arrest for susp ...
, was sentenced as an instigator of the crime and been denied release in December 2006, his life sentence of 27 years finally ended in
house arrest In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
. * José Luis Auge was convicted, and released in 2004. * Sergio Gustavo González was sentenced to life imprisonment, but in February 2006 he was released by reduction of sentence to 20 years. * Horacio Anselmo Braga was sentenced to 18 years and was released on January 25, 2007. Several factors influenced his release, per example: he was benefited from the "2 for 1" (subtract 2 years for each year sentence processing), scored well in psychiatric reports presented good conduct and paid a deposit of 20,000 pesos to exit the
Penitentiary A prison, also known as a jail, gaol (dated, standard English, Australian, and historically in Canada), penitentiary (American English and Canadian English), detention center (or detention centre outside the US), correction center, correcti ...
number 9. That same day, 6,000 people gathered in Pinamar in seeking justice for Cabezas. * Alberto Gómez, Commissioner of Pinamar, was convicted after being accused of having "liberated the area" where the crime occurred


In Popular Culture


Documentaries

In May 2022,
Netflix Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fil ...
premiered the documentary film ''The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar'', directed by Alejandro Hartmann, presenting the Cabezas Case and its aftermath in 1990s Argentina.


References


External links


Fundación José Luis Cabezas
(in Spanish)
Court reduces sentences against killers
- IFEX
Chronology of the "Cabezas case" (in Spanish)(by Gabriel Michi)Tiempo.infonews.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabezas, Jose Luis Assassinated Argentine journalists People murdered in Argentina Deaths by firearm in Argentina 1961 births 1997 deaths Place of birth missing 20th-century journalists