What began as a forbidden relationship shaped by manipulation in a small town in Catamarca, Argentina, ended up becoming one of the most heinous and macabre crimes in the history of criminal investigations.
In 2012, José César Rodríguez, a 31-year-old man who worked in a gold and silver mine, took an interest in Érica Flores, a teenager who was only 14.
When the young woman’s mother, Justina Flores, learned of the relationship, she intervened immediately to protect her daughter: she managed to get her out of the home where the man was keeping her and filed a criminal complaint for abuse. In the wake of the case, the teenager decided to cut off all contact and stay away from him for good.
Unable to accept the rejection, the man swore revenge before leaving, making a threat that would send a chill down anyone’s spine: “I’m going to become your worst nightmare, I’ll do whatever I want to your family”.
Taking advantage of his technical knowledge and access to explosives at the mining site, he meticulously designed a deadly trap: he built a homemade bomb and hid it inside a toolbox, then quietly left it on the car in the family’s garage.
Days later, on September 26, 2013, Justina entered the garage with the help of a young hired-car driver to move some bags. When they handled the box, the device exploded violently, killing them both instantly.
Although the perpetrator tried to create the perfect alibi, forensic investigators found the plans in his notebook and discovered his absences from work, and he was sentenced to life in prison.
However, grief and guilt tore the young Érica apart so deeply that, some time after the trial, her life came to the most tragic end anyone could have imagined.
A chilling story of obsession and extreme cruelty that left indelible scars on an entire community.
What do you think about this harrowing case that brought an entire country to a standstill?