By Paula Bistagnino. Karlos Alberto Ledezma, 41, known as Karlos Kon K, was a beloved hairdresser in the town of Las Parejas, Santa Fe province. He was found brutally stabbed to death in his home. Investigators believe it was a hate crime. Yesterday, more than 500 people marched to demand justice for his murder. The crime was committed in the early hours of Friday, February 23, according to the case file now being investigated by the Cañada de Gómez Prosecutor's Office, headed by Santiago Tosco. It is estimated to have occurred between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m. The leading hypothesis so far is that the assailant knew the victim. “At the moment there are no detainees or suspects, but four lines of investigation are being pursued regarding people he knew,” Sebastián Carranza, press director of the Second District Prosecutor's Office of Santa Fe, told Presentes . “Theft is the weakest motive the prosecutor has: there was a box of cash in the house, but they only took the cell phone and the computer,” the source added.

A savage crime

The body of Karlos Ledezma was found Friday afternoon by his mother, who lives less than a block away. The woman went to her son's house after being alerted by a neighbor: a customer was waiting outside the hair salon, but no one was answering. When she arrived, she found one of the house's entrances open, but with no signs of forced entry, and her son's lifeless body covered in blood. "Based on the scene investigators found, there was a fight in three different rooms of the house. The body had multiple cuts," confirmed the official source. "At first glance, the door hadn't been forced, which reinforces the hypothesis that the attacker was someone known to the victim. And that's the line of inquiry we're pursuing," she emphasized.

Las Parejas marched to demand justice

Las Parejas is a town of about 14,000 inhabitants, located in the southwest of the province of Santa Fe, 100 kilometers from Rosario and 184 from the provincial capital. As soon as the news broke, the shock in the barber's neighborhood was unanimous, and many people came to find out what had happened. Carlos, known to everyone as "Karlos Kon K," was well-loved by his neighbors and had many friends. In Las Parejas, almost everyone knows each other. Born and raised there, he was no exception: on Monday afternoon, some 500 people gathered in the main square to demand justice. Among those present were three aunts of the victim and several local politicians, including the Mayor, Horacio Compagnucci (PJ).

“We want to know who killed my brother.”

So far, only friends and family of the victim have testified in the case. “He was a very good person, who helped everyone he could and never hurt anyone. Many people here in Las Parejas knew him and loved him. We don't know why he was killed, but we're sure it wasn't a robbery,” he told Presents Leo Ledezma, the victim's younger brother. Both he and his parents, still in shock from what happened, decided not to attend yesterday's demonstration. "It's all very recent, plus it was my mom's birthday, and we preferred not to put ourselves at risk. We're going to wait and see if the justice system resolves this, because we know they have some suspects. And if nothing happens, then we'll see what we do," his brother added.

“It should be investigated as a hate crime.”

Esteban Paulón, provincial undersecretary of Sexual Diversity Policies for the province of Santa Fe, was present at Monday's demonstration. “When we learned of the case, we wanted to come and support the family and friends. We believe it is a hate crime,” he told Presentes. According to the official, “there is very strong evidence and indications that this is a crime related to his sexual orientation.” “First, there is clear premeditation in the murder, because there are at least 24 cuts. A crime of such brutality, added to the fact that they took his cell phone and a computer, indicates that there was some valuable information on those devices. He was one of the few openly gay people in that town,” Paulón said. On the morning of Wednesday, February 28, they met with regional prosecutor Natalia Benvenuto to present her with arguments and data that support this assertion. “What is clear to us, and also to the Prosecutor's Office, is that this was not a common robbery but is linked to a case of gender-based violence.”