The Maldonado Court sentenced a minor (initials R.B.) to 25 years in prison for the homicide of Natalia Martínez Bengoa.  R.B had confessed being with Natalia the morning that she died in January of 2007.  He told police that “she was a passenger in his car after leaving a dance at La Rinconada when she suddenly passed out and died of natural causes.  When he couldn’t revive her, he panicked and hid her body”.

According to Supreme Court spokesperson Raúl Oxandabarat, R.B.’s statement doesn’t match the evidence nor the facts uncovered during the investigation.  Per Oxandabarat, “He changed his original story.  What we do know for sure is that she left the club with him and they went to Playa Grande where they listened to music.  Later he said that he was confused,  that he was scared and took her to Laguna del Sauce.  The deal is that things just don’t add up when comparing his story with the facts of the investigation, which is why he was convicted of homicide.”

Now the courts will attempt to establish the exact cause of Natalia’s death.  Meanwhile, Maldonado Chief of Police Pedro Balbi stated that they had already reconstructed parts of the crime, and this is now being reviewed by the court.

(www.espectador,com, June 10, 2010)