Share

Share

Share on FacebookShare on Facebook TweetShare on Twitter Share on WhatsAppShare on WhatsApp

SUBSCRIBE TO THE NEWSLETTER

Airam Fernández, from Santiago, Chile

On Friday afternoon, the Homicide Brigade of the Chilean Investigative Police (PDI) charged 21-year-old Fabrizio Antonelli Lazowith the double homicide of gay activists Marcelo Cea and Jorge Ruiz. He was arrested that morning and remanded in custody after an investigation that lasted more than three weeks.

According to information from the South Metropolitan Prosecutor's Office, Antonelli confessed to the crime. The prosecutor in the case, Miguel Palacios, told the press that one of the victims met the accused through a dating app on the same day as the incident. However, he stated that the motive for the crime is still under investigation.

Double murder and arson

Marcelo and Jorge were murdered on Thursday, September 17, in the apartment they rented, located on José Joaquín Prieto Avenue in the La Cisterna district. Their attacker stole two laptops, money, and a cell phone from the apartment. He attacked the victims with a knife and tried to cover up the crime by starting two fires in the apartment, one in the kitchen and the other in a bedroom, the prosecutor said.

Despite the robbery, those close to him believe it was a hate crime and are asking the authorities for a more thorough and rigorous investigation. Patricio Rubio, a friend of Jorge, has taken on the role of spokesperson and is handling the legal proceedings to help the family. He told Presentes that, so far, they are not satisfied with the findings or the way the case has been handled. They learned of the arrest through the press and social media: “Neither the Prosecutor’s Office nor the Investigative Police (PDI) have contacted us. They haven’t given us any official information.”

Local media outlets insist that Marcelo and Jorge were a couple. Erick Salinas, a friend of Marcelo's and head of the diversity office for the municipality of La Florida, clarified from the beginning that they were indeed a couple, but that they ended the relationship more than four years ago. They were just good friends and shared expenses and a pet.

Jorge worked as a cashier at the Líder supermarket in Puente Alto. Marcelo had cancer and was therefore retired, but he remained active in the world of activism. Together they worked on creating a diversity office for the municipality of Puente Alto, and in the process they were helped by their friend Erick Salinas and Sandra Gómez, executive director of Alma Libre, a foundation that works with transgender children.