Argentina: Three Women Killed in Alleged Narco Live Stream

Three young women—Lara Gutiérrez (15), Brenda del Castillo (20) and Morena Verdi (20–21)—were lured to a house on the southern outskirts of Buenos Aires, where they were raped, tortured and killed; their bodies were found buried days after they went missing. Security officials say parts of the abuse, including mutilation and asphyxiation, were broadcast live to a closed social‑media group (reported as Instagram or TikTok) and viewed by roughly 45 people. Authorities allege the killings were a narco “punishment” ordered after an alleged theft of cocaine, and investigators have arrested multiple suspects, with initial reports varying from four up to about a dozen arrests. Investigators also found the victims’ vehicle burned nearby. The crime has provoked national shock, protests by relatives and feminist and human‑rights groups, and scrutiny of social platforms over how the livestreamed abuse was shared and who viewed it.