Viña Del Mar Psychopaths
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The Viña del Mar psychopaths ( es, Psicópatas de Viña del Mar) were
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
an serial killer duo Jorge José Sagredo Pizarro (22 August 1955 – 29 January 1985) and Carlos Alberto Topp Collins (25 January 1950 – 29 January 1985), both ex-members of the Carabineros, the local Chilean police forces. They committed ten murders and four rapes from 5 August 1980 to 1 November 1981, in the city of
Viña del Mar Viña del Mar (; meaning "Vineyard of the Sea") is a city and commune on central Chile's Pacific coast. Often referred to as ("The Garden City"), Viña del Mar is located within the Valparaíso Region, and it is Chile's fourth largest city w ...
. When they were caught on 8 March 1982, it was revealed that they had only been dishonored from the Carabineros forces days prior, on 4 March 1982. They were the last men to be legally executed in Chile before the practice was outlawed in 2001.


History


Crimes

#Enrique Gajardo Casales, killed on 5 August 1980 on the El Olivar trail, close to the intersection with the Achupallas pass. # Alfredo Sánchez Muñoz, killed on 12 November 1980 in the Estadio Sausalito sector; during the attack, they also raped Sánchez's companion, Fernanda Bohle Basso. # Fernando Lagunas Alfaro and Delia González Apablaza, both killed on 28 February 1981 on the Marga Marga estuary. # Luis Morales Álvarez, killed on 25 May 1981 on the Camino Granadilla. They also stole Álvarez's taxi. # Jorge Inostroza Letelier, killed on 26 May 1981 in Reñaca; during the attack, they also raped Inostroza's companion Margarita Santibáñez Ibaceta. # Raúl Aedo León, killed on 28 July 1981 in the National Botanical Garden of Viña del Mar. They also stole León's taxi. # Oscar Noguera Inostroza, killed on 28 July 1981 in Limache; during the attack, they also raped Noguera's companion Ana María Riveros Contreras. # Jaime Ventura Córdova and Rosana Venegas Reyes, killed on 1 November 1981 under the Capuchinos Bridge.


Investigation

There were two parallel investigations during the crime series. One was conducted by the OS7 Department of the Carabineros, which covers Drugs and Narcotics, directed by Mayot Ávila. The other was by a special group of the
Investigations Police of Chile Investigations Police of Chile (, PDI) are the civilian police of Chile. Founded in 1933, it is one of two Chilean police bodies, along with the law enforcement police: Carabineros de Chile. The PDI is the principal law enforcement arm of the Pub ...
(PDI), directed by Commissioner Nelson Lillo. The key to finding the two murderers was delivered by Corporal Juan Quijada, of the First Commissariat of Viña del Mar, who realized that witnesses described the two men as speaking in an authoritative voice, often used by Chilean policemen. After Sagredo confessed to the crimes, Corporal Quijada denounced him to the OS7 Drug Department.


Detention and judicial process

Sagredo and Topp Collins were brought to justice on 8 March 1982, and declared guilty by the Minister in visit Dinorah Cameratti on 13 March. Jorge Sagredo and Carlos Topp Collins confessed extrajudicially, judicially and publicly to all their crimes. In this way, both were found guilty and sentenced to death, a sentenced first handed down on 8 January 1983 by the minister in visit Julio Torres Allú. The sentence was confirmed in the second instance by the unanimity of the First Chamber of the Court of Appeals of
Valparaíso Valparaíso (; ) is a major city, seaport, naval base, and educational centre in the commune of Valparaíso, Chile. "Greater Valparaíso" is the second largest metropolitan area in the country. Valparaíso is located about northwest of Santiago ...
, composed of the ministers Margarita Osnovikoff, Iris González and Guillermo Navas. The sentence was ratified unanimously by the Third Chamber of the
Supreme Court of Chile The Supreme Court of Chile is the highest court in Chile. It also administers the lower courts in the nation. It is located in the capital Santiago. In the Chilean system, the court lacks the broader power of judicial review—it cannot set bindin ...
, consisting of the ministers Osvaldo Erbetta Vaccaro, Emilio Ulloa Muñoz, Abraham Meersohn Schijman and the lawyers Raúl Rencoret Donoso and Cecilli Cáceres, on 17 January 1985.


Execution

Relatives of the victims lobbied against the executions of Sagredo and Topp since they believed the two men were connected to a higher-ranking death squad. Sagredo said he and Topp had committed some of the murders after being given drugs and promised money by a "crime club" that included a prominent building contractor and five other "executives" who wanted to eliminate political opponents of the Pinochet regime. Only one "executive" was identified Luis Gubler Diaz, a building contractor and member of a prominent Vina del Mar family. Diaz had close ties with intelligence squads during the violent repression of leftists after the 1973 coup. An investigation showed that a revolver owned by Gubler was used in four murders. The detective told a court that Gubler confessed to two murders while in custody. However, the detective and the judge hearing the case were later removed. Gubler was freed, and a new judge refused to permit any new evidence against him on the grounds that his confession was made under torture. However, both men were denied presidential clemencies by Augusto Pinochet, and they were executed by firing in Quillota on 29 January 1985, as was common at the time. Their hands were tied, they were strapped to chairs, and they had circular red paper targets placed over their hearts. Sagredo and Topp were the last people to be legally executed in Chile, as the country abolished
capital punishment Capital punishment, also known as the death penalty, is the state-sanctioned practice of deliberately killing a person as a punishment for an actual or supposed crime, usually following an authorized, rule-governed process to conclude that t ...
for common offenses in 2001.


Cultural references

* During 2013 and 2014, Canal 13 issued a series called ''
Secretos en el Jardín ''Secretos en el jardín'' (lit: ''Secrets in the garden''), also known as ''Secrets In The City'', is a Chilean television series created by Julio Rojas and Matías Ovalle, that aired on Canal 13 from November 24, 2013, to June 9, 2014, starrin ...
'', inspired by the case. * The movie '' Pena de Muerte'', released in 2012, retells the story of this case and how it impacted the Chilean population.


See also

* List of serial killers by country *
The Jackal of Nahueltoro Jorge del Carmen Valenzuela Torres (23 August 1938 – 30 April 1963), popularly known as "''El Chacal de Nahueltoro''" (The Jackal of Nahueltoro), was a Chilean farmer who killed his partner and his five stepchildren in what the Investigations P ...
, another notable instance of the death penalty being used in Chile


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vina Del Mar Psychopaths 1980 murders in Chile 1981 murders in Chile 1985 deaths 1980s murders in Chile 20th-century executions by Chile Carabineros de Chile Chilean people convicted of murder Criminal duos Executed Chilean serial killers Male serial killers People convicted of murder by Chile People executed by Chile by firearm People executed for murder People from Viña del Mar