Original subtitles

COURTS OF SAN ISIDRO - BUENOS AIRES

Great anticipation by the imminent start of this trial

on the mezzanine of the San Isidro Courthouse.

During the next three months,

Carlos Carrascosa's fate will be decided.

The court will also hear the other 230 witnesses

that were called for the trial,

where the widower is the only one indicted for the homicide.

Prosecutor Diego Molina Pico says that the motive behind the crime

was to hide their money-laundering scheme.

We had written and talked about the case for five years.

5 YEARS AFTER THE MURDER

It had turned almost into a soap opera for all Argentina.

And suddenly, all the protagonists

were there, in that theater,

on that stage that was the oral trial.

I went to the courthouse every day.

I'd grab the car and rush to San Isidro.

Luckily, the sessions were in the afternoon.

Now, we'll see the place where, on Tuesday,

the trial for María Marta's murder will begin.

This table here is where the defense will sit.

His lawyer is Counselor Cafetzoglus,

who'll probably sit with his assistant, Counselor Ferrari.

Here, opposite the defense, is where the prosecutors will sit.

The lead prosecutor, Attorney Diego Molina Pico.

When I arrived the first day of the trial,

I actually wanted to avoid the press.

But the courtroom doors were locked.

So, I had to stay outside,

causing what would turn out to be a "pleasant" gathering

with the countless reporters there.

He arrived at the courthouse without making any statements.

This is chaos, obviously.

It's hard for Carlos Carrascosa to get through.

Basically, the prosecutor is the one who represents society and the victims.

All this evidence will be read in public

for the first time today.

This is what the trial is for, what we've fought for.

What we have to do is reconstruct the storyline

through the players that took part on this event,

in order for others to see it,

an unbiased third party.

What I did was tell the story

from the last time María Marta was seen alive

until she was murdered and the events that happened after.

The prosecution will prove

that on October 27th of the year 2002,

there was a homicide

whose victim was María Marta García Belsunce.

We will also prove that there was a cover-up of the crime.

And that the defendant, Carrascosa, was the perpetrator, aided by accomplices.

Carrascosa, did you kill María Marta García Belsunce?

No, not at all.

Did you intervene, consent to, or enable her murder?

Not at all, sir.

-Did you cover up the murder? -No, sir.

I am completely innocent.

But I want to know who killed my wife.

A NETFLIX ORIGINAL DOCUMENTARY SERIES

The trail will last approximately three months.

More than 200 witnesses, 230 actually. Three days of confrontations per week.

It's the beginning of the trial that will try to reveal who killed,

who murdered María Marta García Belsunce.

Our practice got the case in 2005.

CARRASCOSA'S LAWYER

As I was a member of the firm's team,

I joined Carlos's defense.

He was indicted for murder and for cover-up.

Two incompatible indictments.

The first day of trial, we asked that the rest of the indicted parties

be called to testify:

Gauvry Gordon, John Hurtig, Guillermo Bártoli, and Michelini.

All these people

are indicted for cover-up

in the subsequent case.

They had information

about situations relevant to the investigation.

Bringing them here will blur things.

They can't testify

as witnesses.

Nor could they testify as defendants, as they aren't on trial yet.

So, we were denied that possibility.

I mean, the trial got off

to a rocky start

and without key witnesses

who could offer relevant insight, claiming that,

since they also had charges, they couldn't testify at this trial.

Of course, I wanted to attend all sessions.

MARÍA MARTA'S BROTHER

At the first session, the prosecutor kicked me out.

We consider that Mr. Horacio García Belsunce

cannot be present during this trial,

and this resolution also applies

to the rest of the co-accused who are in the same situation.

So, I'm going to ask that you leave the room, please.

On the first day of the trial,

we saw Horacio García Belsunce, María Marta's brother,

leave the San Isidro Courthouse clearly irritated.

Carlos's trial was very important to us as well.

MARÍA MARTA'S BROTHER

They said we were covering up for him.

Before delving into anything, the whole case file was read out loud.

MARÍA MARTA'S WIDOWER

This was for everyone to have the full information

of all the evidence submitted.

"The walk-in closet window upstairs opens.

Mr. Carrascosa peeps out and says that María Marta had an accident."

So, the first two months

consisted in listening to a guy that read the case file out loud.

"Beatriz Michelini told him to call a doctor,

to call anyone, to call Bártoli."

Once this first two months were over, the witnesses were taken to the stand.

We will proceed with the testimonies.

-Prosecutor. -Thank you, Your Honor.

I'd like to call Santiago Biasi to the stand.

The thing was to prove that this had been a violent death

and that we had to take the necessary measures for the case.

DOCTOR, 2ND AMBULANCE

Meanwhile, I was being told this was a domestic accident,

a stupid death, as Gauvry Gordon said and whatnot.

There was one of the holes

where my finger,

this finger on my left hand, went in up to the first phalanx.

This hand and this finger. Well, I think it went in...

Did you tell this to...?

I told Dr. Gauvry Gordon that if it was up to me,

I would report it.

A man introduces himself as the victim's husband,

Mr. Carrascosa.

He was very calm, he wasn't...

I...

He tells me not to worry,

that they'd already made arrangements with Dr. Gauvry Gordon.

What's not clear to me is if you got the impression

or knew if she'd been given mouth to mouth resuscitation.

María Marta García Belsunce's face

was covered in blood.

I don't know who'd dare perform

mouth-to-mouth on this dead body or victim.

-So, she had blood on her mouth? -She did.

She had blood on her face, and Dr. Gauvry Gordon washed her face.

-Before he proceeds-- -Yes, of course.

The witness says María Marta's face was covered with of blood.

-Yes, he did. -Let the record show that.

Let the record show

that he said Dr. Gauvry Gordon washed her face.

Sorry, let the record show that I said Gauvry Gordon washed her face.

-Yes. -I'm telling the truth.

I didn't say her face... I said Gauvry Gordon washed her face.

That Gauvry Gordon washed her face.

-You heard me, right? -Yes. sir.

The trial has begun with his in-laws' full support.

Carlos Carrascosa, impeccably dressed.

This trial is unprecedented, strange, because, for the first time,

the plaintiffs don't support the prosecutor's theory.

I was called by Bártoli's lawyer at the time

to represent the injured party, María Marta's mother.

PLAINTIFF'S LAWYER

We represent María Marta's mother.

The prosecutor represents the victim,

but the victims may choose their own lawyer.

PROSECUTOR

They play the same role as the prosecutor.

They both pursue the same thing. But not in this case.

We took different approaches.

Because, from the get-go, the family somehow wanted

to participate more actively in the case

in order to truly investigate who the real perpetrator was.

We've been hearing the doctors,

now comes the aftermath.

Was the body tampered with?

Did they apply make up? Who changed her clothes?

The wake was also unusual.

Inside the master bedroom,

on the double bed,

María Marta was laying in the dark.

With a nightstand lamp that cast a dim light

on the right side of María Marta's face.

And her wounds were on her left side.

When I went back up the stairs,

I found the doors were closed, and I opened them.

MARÍA MARTA'S SISTER

Luckily, María Marta was on the bed, which gave me deep relief.

To be honest, at least...

I felt more at ease.

Marialita was there, my dad's wife.

She told me we should change her clothes.

Well, we tried to take her clothes off over her head.

I lifted her head and said, "Marialita, bring a towel, there's blood here."

We were both shaking.

She said, "We'd better cut off her clothes with scissors."

So, we did. We put...

something on her, a blouse, I don't know, backwards.

And we left her there.

The accounts of all witnesses share a common thread,

with some slight differences.

And those slight differences are signs of the witness's subjectivity.

When you piece the puzzle together, you can reconstruct what happened.

From what you saw, could you describe what the body looked like?

FUNERAL HOUSE EMPLOYEE

She looked like she was sleeping. Her hair and makeup were done.

María Marta never wore makeup.

MARÍA MARTA'S FRIEND

And if I had seen that...

it would've really caught my attention to see her with makeup on.

Did María Marta have makeup on?

MARÍA MARTA'S COLLEAGUE

Yes. She had makeup on, and her hair was fixed.

-Did you fix her hair? -No.

Do you know if anyone applied makeup on her?

No, nobody did.

When they perform María Marta's autopsy,

the doctors find it a bit hard

to open the holes

made by the bullets in María Marta's head.

A consultant told me, "That's not normal.

There must be some sort of glue there."

Molina Pico requested her scalp be analyzed

JOURNALIST

to see what evidence they could find.

That analysis determined that there was a component inside the body

called cyanogen.

Cyanoacrylate is found in an adhesive

known in the market as "La Gotita" or super glue.

This aroused such anger in the public opinion toward this family.

Because, what could be grimmer than applying La Gotita on your sister

JOURNALIST

to seal a firearm wound?

This made all the newspaper's front page.

"They used La Gotita."

THE DROP OF GLUE THAT CAN LEAVE EVERYONE STUCK

ADHESIVE FOUND IN THREE OF MARÍA MARTA'S BULLET WOUNDS

MARÍA MARTA: THEY MASKED THE BULLET WOUNDS

DID THEY CLOSE THE WOUNDS WITH GLUE?

There was cyanogen

because María Marta used to go to the slums.

So, she used shampoo with detergent in it,

with lice medicine. And there's where the cyanogen comes from.

Is it scientifically accurate to conclude

that the skin sample analyzed

contains cyanoacrylate?

With all we've revealed

in this context of expertise I was asked to give,

I believe it's highly probable that cyanoacrylate is present.

CHEMICAL EXPERT

When they asked me in court

if it could have been some type of lice medicine

containing cyanogen,

I told the judges that,

if you apply lice medicine all over your scalp,

logically, there should be traces of it everywhere on the head.

It wasn't on any of the other holes

or on the rest of the skin either.

The cyanogen alone didn't prove anything,

but there was obvious ill-intent.

MARÍA MARTA'S SISTER

For the forensic report said,

"We found cyanogen that could be cyanoacrylate."

The finding of this cyanogen...

means nothing.

Because there wasn't enough proof

to support such a claim.

There was a lot of misunderstanding on this regard.

Around the police coming to Carmel or not.

There's an alleged phone call made by this guard that sees a patrol car.

He tells the president of Carmel,

who, in turn, calls Carrascosa's house.

I can see it clearly.

I'm walking downstairs from María Marta's room to the kitchen.

And Sergio Binello, who was on the phone,

tells me, "Horacito, they say the police are coming."

"The police? What for?"

In the case file,

there's a phone call allegedly made by Horacio García Belsunce

to the chief, at the time,

of the anti-kidnapping division, Commissioner Casafús.

And he says, "Ángel!"

FORMER POLICE COMMISSIONER

To be honest, I didn't know who was calling.

"Who is this?" He says, "Horacio García Belsunce."

And tells me his little sister

had a domestic accident.

And I said, "Look, I'm told the police are coming.

I'm asking you, if you can... for them to be mindful

of the state we're all in, especially my mom and dad."

"Don't worry, I'll handle it."

I called De Gastaldi. He was San Isidro's Commissioner.

And I told him, "Look, this idiot is calling me...

García Belsunce.

He's telling me,

'Get the cops off my back."'

He said, "I'll call the prosecutor right away and let him know."

I guess he did.

CHIEF OF POLICE IMPLICATES FAMILY AND FRIENDS

"A BUNCH OF CRIMINALS USED ME IN A COVER-UP"

No! Casafús never called anyone.

That night, when I called him,

he never called anyone, the police never even thought of going.

Whether this happened or not,

truth is, the night María Marta died,

not a single cop went to Carmel.

We request a petition be issued

to the Pilar Prosecutor's Office

for the report on the DNA tests done for the case,

which I think have already been discussed.

Yes, that had been mentioned before.

And information about the case was missing,

namely, who were petitioned, who took the test,

who had the tests done, and what were the results.

Very well. Prosecutor?

-Nothing further. -Very well, then.

We fought for two years

until La Plata's expert said,

"We've already taken all the samples."

Then we gave them our blood.

The DNA test results from María Marta García Belsunce's family

showed that their genetic profiles

don't match the blood found at the victim's house.

Amidst several testimonies against them during the oral trial,

María Marta's family got a piece of good news.

The genetic profiles of Horacio García Belsunce,

John and Irene Hurtig, and Guillermo Bártoli

don't match with the blood found at the crime scene.

All negative.

You know?

It wasn't our blood here.

That's one of the problems we face.

GENETICS EXPERT

Because when you "exclude," in forensic genetics,

the term "exclusion" can be confused

with a ruling of innocence.

What this implies is that the profile of the sample

doesn't match that individual.

It has nothing to do with innocence or guilt

or their participation in the crime.

Nothing to do with it.

CARRASCOSA'S DNA IS NEGATIVE

FEWER LEADS IN THE BELSUNCE CASE: FOUR NEW NEGATIVE DNA PROFILES

-Yeah, or turn up the-- -Oh, come on! Lower the--

You know what?

Move the flaps to the right.

Your Honor, with all due respect...

I don't want to get sick from the air conditioning.

Nor will I come here every day repeating the air conditioning issue.

Counsel, you'll have to forgive me, but first I ask you,

and I've said this many times before,

to interrupt me whenever you feel the A/C is too cold.

So, it's surprising that you're saying this as if you've said it before.

-No. -No, sorry, sir.

Didn't I ask you yesterday, at the last minute of the session,

if you had a problem with the A/C?

It's no problem at all. Just tell me, and we'll sort it out.

Twenty-six degrees seems... I don't know.

I had a lovely childhood.

I've always felt called...

to service, to philanthropy,

to helping people in need.

My ultimate idol was Zorro,

this vigilante who fought, and I was always dressed up as Zorro.

And Zorro's name was Don Diego,

which was meaningful, a calling...

to do justice.

Then, you grow and you change.

Instead of Zorro, it was Don Quixote...

famous for fighting

against windmills, against the impossible.

That means a lot to me.

Never once had I broken the law.

Well, I had, but I'd never been caught.

I don't know if you could get jail time for smuggling back then,

I don't think so.

I had just graduated from the Merchant Navy.

I board the first ship,

and the captain calls me and says, "Kid, come here.

We all smuggle here. So, put in a few bucks."

That's a widespread thing. The crew does it.

So, if the Customs and Border Patrol catch us

and you haven't put money in, that makes you the snitch.

And if they think you're the snitch, you'll be thrown overboard.

That's where I learned never to blow the whistle.

-Good morning, madam. -Good morning.

Madam, you've been called to the witness stand to testify

in the trial against Carlos Carrascosa

for aggravated homicide or cover-up.

I was very nervous.

I'd never been in court before.

MARÍA MARTA'S FRIEND

I'd only seen them on TV.

I had nothing to hide

and my version was simple, very short...

After the burial, we went to the Taylor's house.

Well, when we got there...

we boiled water for tea, and then we were at the dining room...

-Who was in the dining room? -Pichi and me.

-Alone? -Alone, the two of us.

And so, I said to her, "Pichi, what happened?

I don't think she died

as I kept hearing at La Recoleta. There are four different stories

about the blow to the head and all."

She said, "Look, Inés, since this could've been

suicide or homicide,

we did what Carlos told us to."

So, I told her, "But there's a protocol that needs to be followed.

You didn't do that."

She said, "Well, since Carlos had asked

to avoid the autopsy and to bury her in the last shift,

we paid for them to do what Carlos wanted."

-Can we take a picture? -No.

-Inés, two questions. -No, thanks.

Inés Ongay is the one that said that...

Nora Taylor told her that Carlos had paid to avoid an autopsy.

And Nora denies having said it.

Actually, they were confronted about this.

Each stood by their story.

I never saw Mr. Carrascosa pay for a thing.

MARÍA MARTA'S FRIEND

I don't know what you're asking.

-Do you trust him? -I trust Carlos Carrascosa completely.

I think that if you have preconceived notions

and you can't deal with losing your friend, which happened to us all,

you make your own idea in your head, building up from what you've been told.

You have this idea, you shape it, and you start to believe it.

I asked you myself during the questioning if we had paid the prosecutor.

Because he was the authority that went to the house.

He was the one that authorized the burial.

Let's see, Pichi, you told me, and I stated and ratify,

"We paid for them to do what Carlos wanted."

Which was not having an autopsy

and for her to be buried in the last hour, period.

Do you think that I, not knowing you,

would just tell you such a thing if I was an accessory to murder?

And on top of that, I'd give them your number? "Call Ongay,

she'll tell you that I said that!"

Never mind my speculations or why I think you said it.

-You're speculating. -I ratify what you told me.

And I ratify what I told you, too.

Because you could've been confused.

Because you go back to Bariloche and have nothing to lose.

You have no parents, no husband, no kids.

You don't care. Your five minutes of fame.

-Madam, excuse me. -No, it's just...

What I want to express is all the pain this person has caused.

Please, silence.

If you're saying that with just one call you know María Marta was murdered,

anybody can be a Monday morning quarterback.

And it became clear, as events unfolded that week,

that María Marta didn't die from hitting her head on the faucet.

She wasn't taking a bath to relax before her soothing massage.

She didn't hit herself on a window, she had sneakers on. It all piled on.

But when they called me, yes, Pichi, I thought...

And I wasn't so far off, she was murdered with six shots.

-We know that now. It's easy to say. -All right.

I got off the plane the next day thinking she'd been murdered.

I have no power whatsoever.

It was a matter of connecting the dots.

Being away, I guess, also gave me perspective.

Maybe now's not the time, but I thank you for this trial.

I thank you, the defense, the prosecutor.

For, frankly, in these four years and four months,

many times I thought there wouldn't be a trial.

With all the appeals and whatnot, we'd be left in the dark.

No matter the outcome,

I appreciate this moment of justice for María Marta.

That's honestly how I feel.

Close to midday,

the judges in the García Belsunce case

arrive to Carmel Country Club.

So did the prosecutor and the lawyers.

The objective was to make a visual inspection

to verify the accounts told by the witnesses.

They started off at the clubhouse.

Then, they moved to the Binello and Bártoli homes.

Then, they walked around the different areas

where the crime took place.

Inside the house, how it happened, where the victim was found,

where an alleged fight had taken place, where the shots were fired.

The information gathered

would help the judges analyze the veracity of the statements

and also know which witnesses to call to the stand,

such as former neighbor Nicolás Pachelo.

The thing is, there's a witness...

that both parties want to call in, Nicolás Pachelo.

His lawyer made two petitions in the case

requesting him not to be called as a witness.

María Marta was afraid of him.

She had had some issues with Pachelo.

Besides, she wanted to kick him out, she was convinced he had to be out of Carmel.

And Pachelo knew that.

The prosecution is not interested in Mr. Pachelo's testimony.

Now...

we're not opposed to him taking the stand,

but only as a witness.

-Did you know María Marta? -No.

-Did you ever engage with her? -Never.

-You never spoke to her? -Never.

Did you know where she lived?

No, because I didn't...

I know where the houses are.

I'm into architecture and landscaping,

I don't know the owners.

CARMEL NEIGHBOR

I didn't know who lived in which house.

Good afternoon.

-Hi, how are you? -Fine, thank you.

You mentioned you knew the masseuse, Michelini, right?

Did you ever hear Michelini

say that the Carrascosas had a large sum of money in their house?

No, never. That's not significant news to us.

-All right. -No, she never said that.

-Did someone else say it? -No.

Do you do target practice?

I'll tell you what I told the prosecutor.

Excuse me one minute. Is this relevant to the case?

No, Your Honor.

This question, Counselor?

The prosecution objects.

It has nothing to do with the case.

How did you end up living in Carmel?

My father and three business partners built it.

He is one of Carmel's founders.

What do you think of the guards?

That they have a pretty simple job.

What's your opinion of the guards at Carmel back then?

-What do you mean "my opinion"? -How did they do their job?

On a four-wheeler and a car.

-Anything else? -On a bike.

Was there...? I suppose there was.

Did you father leave you any assets?

Yes, of course.

Counsel, I think we're drifting too far from the subject matter of this trial.

I mean, really, to explore in such detail the witness's personal history,

in my view, is inappropriate.

I don't know if Pachelo did it, but there was more evidence

to investigate him than against Carrascosa.

That afternoon, three kids see María Marta riding home

and Pachelo in the area.

We were walking and suddenly we see a neighbor jogging.

CARMEL NEIGHBOR

It was Nicolás Pachelo, who we sort of feared at the time.

We knew he was a thug, that he'd stolen some golf clubs

and had "kidnapped" María Marta's dog.

Pachelo was Voldemort, he who should not be named.

That's what we called him.

And that's when we see María Marta on her bike.

When you saw María Marta and Pachelo on the same street...

Yes.

Did you see him because you turned instinctively

or did you hear something?

I turned... by reflex.

There was no reason for me to be suspicious.

I just saw him.

-Where was Pachelo when you saw him? -Here.

Right here.

And he went past us.

-How did you know it was Pachelo? -Because I recognized him.

Brown hair, light colored eyes, thick eyebrows, well-built.

Before going to the Capital...

-Did you hang around Carmel? -No.

Before you changed clothes, did you hang around Carmel?

-No. -Did you go jogging there?

No.

Four people saw you jogging.

Fine. I'm telling you I didn't.

The four people clearly saw you.

Okay. They must know what they're saying.

PACHELO DIDN'T CLEAR UP THE SUSPICIONS AGAINST HIM

DODGING, NO FACTS

CARRASCOSA COULDN'T PROVE HIM GUILTY

PACHELO, THE UNSCATHED WITNESS

The judges say there isn't a single piece of evidence

to implicate Pachelo in María Marta's murder.

With two months to go, we haven't heard the last of it.

No, not at all. We're just listening to the witnesses for the prosecution,

who have put the widower, Carlos Carrascosa, against the ropes.

Carrascosa always sustained that,

at the time of María Marta's murder,

he was at Guillermo Bártoli's house, his brother-in-law,

watching a soccer game,

which was quite unusual because he didn't like soccer much.

During the trial, one of Bártoli's housemaids testified.

When you went to clear the table... was anyone in the living room?

BÁRTOLIS' HOUSEMAID

No, no one was there.

Do you know at what time you went to clear the table in the living-room?

It must've been at 6:00.

She said it was 6:00 p.m.

because she heard the beep on the radio

and knew it was 6:00, given the radio marked the hour.

Not often can a witness tell the exact time.

I'm sure it was at 6:00.

Why are you so sure?

Because the radio beeped,

that's why.

Something else happened during the trial.

The clubhouse manager spoke.

She said she had a limoncello with Carlos Carrascosa.

A waiter testified, too.

I see a van approaching the parking lot.

Then, I see Mr. Carlos Carrascosa...

FORMER CARMEL CLUBHOUSE WAITER

walking to the clubhouse.

The waiter got him some coffee, and then I treated him to a limoncello.

I always drank some limoncello.

That's why, speaking of limoncello, it makes more sense...

that I stopped in there before going to Bártoli's.

I stopped by the clubhouse and had a coffee after lunch.

That's when I had the limoncello.

That makes perfect sense, at around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m.

I didn't get if you said at what time

you had coffee and limoncello with Carrascosa.

-Please clarify. -Between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.

But I can't recall the exact time.

CATALINA VARGAS DOESN'T SEE ANYONE AT BÁRTOLI'S

CARRASCOSA IS SEEN AT THE CLUBHOUSE

Some wondered why, Carlos Carrascosa,

with the perfect alibi of being at the clubhouse

at that time, he denies it.

Some say it's to cover for someone else.

I would've been here, killing my wife.

Not at the clubhouse.

Why did they want me at the clubhouse?

I wasn't at the clubhouse.

If I said I was and held to that,

something the prosecutor prepared as bait...

they would've arrested Guillermo immediately.

Both Guillermo and Irene.

There were discrepancies in the trial

as far as at what time everyone got

to María Marta's house that evening.

When I arrived, he opened the window upstairs

and said, "Beatriz, María Marta had an accident."

And I said, "What? An accident?"

-And I ran upstairs. -You went into the house?

I went inside the house without thinking, I rushed upstairs.

Did anyone ask for authorization for Mrs. Michelini to enter

FORMER CARMEL GUARD

the Carrascosa house?

I asked for authorization...

I asked for authorization, but no one answered.

Did anyone go to the house to ask for it?

Ortiz, the guard, did.

What did you have to do?

Let them know the masseuse was at the gate.

FORMER CARMEL GUARD

Because no one was picking up the phone.

I drove the Melex cart.

I rang the doorbell many times. I knocked on the door.

But no one answered.

Then Mr. Carrascosa comes in...

driving his maroon van.

And I tell him, "The masseuse is at the gate."

He tells me to let her in.

Do you remember at what time you went to Carrascosa's that day?

It must've been around 7:00 or 6:55 p.m.

I can't recall the exact time, sir.

Ortiz, the guard, testified he'd seen Carrascosa arriving home,

but other eyewitness accounts

claimed he may have not been where he said he was.

The same thing happened with Beatriz Michelini.

As a result, the timeline started to reflect

the different accounts.

At what time one arrived, at what time the other got there,

as Michelini came in, where the others were,

what they were doing.

-You wrote this. -Yes.

What does it say on the last line?

-Michelini. -And here?

It says, "6:55 p.m."

6:55 - MICHELINI ARRIVES AT CARMEL 7:00 - MICHELINI GOES IN

Did Mrs. Michelini wait for any type of authorization to go in?

Twenty-five, thirty minutes.

A long time. More than 20 minutes, for sure.

FORMER CARMEL GUARD

They say who's there

when they make the phone call

for the ambulance was Michelini.

MICHELINI WAITS AT THE BOOTH

But Michelini hadn't gone in yet.

While this is happening, something else is happening at the house.

While Michelini is here, María Marta is being murdered here.

The widower's lawyers were shocked.

This statement placed Beatriz Michelini

at the crime scene at 19:20,

and not at 19:07, as Carrascosa claims.

We'll continue with the witnesses for the defense.

Irene Hurtig to the stand.

Yes.

I was the only one who could testify

because the rest were indicted and couldn't be called to the stand.

You could feel the pressure there, such a bad vibe.

Such an awful sensation...

that I remember I sat there

and started retelling what I did.

I open the door, run upstairs

and find my brother-in-law Carlos calling for an ambulance.

Beatriz Michelini, the masseuse, María Marta unconscious on the floor,

and my husband giving her chest massages

and saying, "Come on, María."

After which, I ran like crazy,

and the first person I thought of was Dr. Zancolli.

Some lady, I don't know who, opened the door.

Panting, I tried to explain what was happening.

I said, "María is hurt. The doctor!"

The woman told me he wasn't home.

As soon as she said that, I ran off,

ran back to the house

and called the guard booth.

A guard picks up and tells me,

"Madam, do you want me to call the club's ambulance?"

And I go, "Call anybody.

Get me a doctor, an ambulance, anything."

All I wanted...

All I wanted was for my sister to be alive.

Any further questions from the counselors?

None? Prosecutor?

All right.

I was told I had to look at the judges.

Even if the prosecutor spoke to me, I shouldn't look at him.

Not the prosecutor nor the defense, I had to look at the judges.

And I remember Molina Pico

asking me, incisive...

I don't know. Something...

I can't remember right now.

How did you know Mr. Carrascosa was calling the medical insurance company?

Because I heard him on the phone.

He was holding the receiver.

And when I went in...

I heard Michelini yelling, "Call a doctor."

And, as I said, my husband was giving her chest massages.

I ask Carlos if he's called and ambulance. He says he's on it.

I mean... I just ran off.

So, you went upstairs, then downstairs to Zancolli's,

came back, took the car... no sorry, you didn't take the car.

Grabbed the phone, called the guard...

Could you explain how you managed

to do all this...

in less than three minutes?

I cannot specify the times.

-I have no further questions. -Very well.

When it began, I asked the prosecutor

to let us know if he had any new evidence.

He said his cards were on the table, but something new always came up.

This audio thing was new.

I'm not asking to redo a test that's already been filed.

What I'm asking is for it to be analyzed further.

To look for new things.

To amplify the audio

to listen for background sound which could be human voices

during phone call number one.

A piece of evidence I couldn't have before the trial

because the technology wasn't available at the time,

which was that what was perceived as noise

turned out to be human voices.

That analysis was the last piece needed to know

who was at the crime scene at the time when the events took place.

We were able...

to hear what they said to each other

while the body was still warm.

OSDE emergencies, good evening.

Good evening. I need an ambulance, it's urgent.

A person fell in the bathtub and it seems she drowned.

OBSERVATION 1: DON'T YOU SEE HER?

-Give me the address. -Carmel Country Club.

-Carmel? -Country Club.

OBSERVATION 2: IS ANYBODY GONNA CALL?

OBSERVATION 3: HOLD HER!

Is it down the Panamericana?

OBSERVATION 4: TOUCH HER, YOU'LL SEE

OBSERVATION 5: CLOSE THE DOOR OBSERVATION 6: SHE'S DEAD.

It's the entrance to... the Pilar Industrial Park.

OBSERVATION 7: LET'S GO... COME ON

I'll hang up now, I have to tend to the person.

-What's the person's name? Don't hang up. -Carrascosa, María Marta.

Or García Belsunce, María.

-María Marta? -Yes.

-Is she an OSDE patient? -Yes.

"Touch her, she's dead, close the door, someone's coming."

"Grab her, bring her over, she's dead, close the door."

Things that, according to the prosecutor, are clear evidence

that María Marta was dead, and they tampered with the body.

It was like getting a glimpse into what happened

immediately after María Marta received six lethal gunshots to the head.

-It's in Pilar. -Can't you see her?

Give me the address, please.

-Is someone calling? -What's the address?

-Kilometer 55? -Yes, out the Pilar exit.

Any landmark to help us get there?

Close the door! She's dead!

It's the entrance to...

the Pilar Industrial Park.

This makes sense, considering the actions taken

after the event

that led to the cover-up.

That's why I said we got to the murder through the cover-up.

In my opinion, María Marta wasn't murdered

with a premeditated plan, but, instead,

her death was the consequence of something that happened

during an argument

with whomever pulled the trigger.

They said there were three people,

two men and a woman. This woman was Michelini.

The thing is that, according to Molina Pico's investigation,

Michelini was at the entrance gate,

So, it couldn't have been Michelini talking in the background

while they were calling the ambulances.

What was established in the trial was that at the site of the incident,

and at the time of the incident,

in addition to Carrascosa and Bártoli, Irene was there.

Let's see, Molina Pico follows a linear narrative.

What do I mean by this? He finds traces of blood

that belong to two men and one woman. So, he finds two men and one woman.

He then hears the OSDE audio and thinks, "This is Carrascosa,

this must be Bártoli, and whoever is yelling must be a woman.

Who could it be? It must be Irene."

So, instead of investigating to arrive at a conclusion,

he moves the pieces to match his preconceived notion.

They... put words

that were allegedly heard in the background.

The only thing I heard

was Guillermo's voice,

who was giving María chest massages or whatever

and saying, "Come on, girl."

That was the only thing I heard, Guillermo's voice.

The rest is all fabrication.

Carrascosa requested to testify again, to amplify his earlier statement.

Reportedly, he told his lawyers he feels they're losing this legal battle.

Let's listen to the defendant, please.

Take a seat.

During the first call to the ambulance at 19:07 hours...

where were Bártoli and Irene?

Irene wasn't there.

Bártoli was next to María Marta.

I mean, when the call began.

During the entire call, that's what I'm asking.

Why? What do you mean?

I can't recall when Irene came in. I know she came in later.

Now, whether I had hung up...

or if it was 10 or 20 seconds later, or a minute after, I can't recall.

And the woman who was there?

-The one the experts heard? -Michelini.

-Michelini? -Yes, without a shadow of a doubt.

After that...

I never left Bártoli's house,

I never went to the clubhouse between 6:00 and 7:00 p.m.

I'd like to emphasize that and make it very clear.

I was with Guillermo, with Irene and with their two kids,

at Bártoli's house.

Anything further?

I'm looking forward to this trial to be over. I can't take it anymore.

I want this to be over with, once and for all.

Whatever happens, I want to reopen the investigation.

I am completely innocent.

But I want to know who killed my wife.

That's all I want to say.

All right. Okay.

María Marta, was strong-minded...

I mean, she was so strong-minded, she wouldn't take no for an answer.

Maybe after a whole year went by,

she'd maybe, just maybe, concede to something.

That's my experience...

with my wife, of course.

Marta, we're here to wish you a happy birthday.

As Susanita said, it's all a bit disorganized,

but in times of adversity, we're there for each other.

And I think that's what matters.

We know we have each other.

Here's a big kiss.

And I hope you have a spectacular day with all your family.

Now it's my turn. She always speaks first.

María Marta and I got along very well.

We shared our outlook on life.

We were perfectly in sync in that regard.

I'm a gambler. She didn't like that.

She was very independent and so was I.

For instance, when we went on a ski trip,

I never learned to ski, and she was a pro.

So, well, I'd take a book.

She went skiing, and I'd hang out at the hotel,

socializing because that's my thing... You know?

She gets me, she knows what I'm like, that I'm a bit restrained, unemotional,

but I'm always there when you need me.

At the trial, I wasn't there for the autopsy. I asked to leave.

I know she fought back...

because there were some marks on her.

But I didn't want to know the details.

During the trial...

we sat opposite each other.

And sometimes we had stare-downs.

They truly were...

There was a lot said during those clashes.

The first closing statement is about to begin.

Today, it's Prosecutor Diego Molina Pico's turn.

The court is ready.

After almost four months of trial,

we all know that the defendant, Carrascosa,

took part in María Marta García Belsunce's murder.

We have validated the timeline,

which establishes the site and time of the incident

and shows us how they divided the tasks

to carry out this horrific act.

They made up different stories

about how María Marta had died,

how the domestic accident had happened.

The crime scene was tampered with. They lied about the times.

They lied about the alibis.

The police were expressly prevented from going in.

The body was tampered with. They disposed of a projectile.

Actions were taken to obtain a false death certificate.

They tried to blame an unrelated third party.

I ask that Carlos Alberto Carrascosa

be sentenced to life imprisonment

for being criminally responsible as coauthor

for the crime of aggravated murder

of his wife, María Marta García Belsunce.

If Your Honor were not to share the prosecution's stand,

I ask that the indicted be sentenced

to the maximum penalty imposed for cover-up

plus legal expenses.

Do not let it be said that in Argentina

the rigor of law applies only to the poor.

That'll be all, Your Honor.

Please, I ask the public to be quiet.

Or else, I'll have to vacate the room.

The prosecutor sustained throughout the trial

that the motive behind the crime might have been connected

to some ill-gotten money,

which came from the Juárez cartel.

When he has to provide arguments, he doesn't mention the Juarez cartel.

Why do you think he didn't use the Juárez cartel allegation

in his closing argument?

Because it was a fabrication.

In his own words,

"There are links to the Juárez cartel,

but I have no evidence to prove it."

If you can't prove it, there's no...

proof, there are no facts, there's nothing!

I am criticized

among other things, for not establishing the motive.

Since the crime is homicide,

aggravated by the familial link,

if I prove that he killed her

and that there's a legal bond,

that's sufficient.

Defendant and plaintiffs have now had the time to assess

everything that was said during the trial.

Now, it's time for the magistrates to do their job:

pronounce their ruling.

The day set for this is next Wednesday.

CARRASCOSA, ONE STEP FROM THE VERDICT

Carlos, how are you?

-We'll speak after the verdict. -You'll talk after the verdict?

I've said too much already.

-Do you feel calm? -Very calm.

COURTS OF SAN ISIDRO - JULY 11, 2007

That morning, I thought

there was a strong chance of him being acquitted.

When I saw the police in the hall, I got worried.

According to the due voting process,

this court, by majority, rules...

And as they read out loud,

I understood they had considered my hypothesis.

I thought, "Great!"

They described the murder.

Resolution number one: We sentence Carlos Alberto Carrascosa

to five years and six months in prison...

And all of the sudden, when they got the verdict--

...as author criminally responsible for aggravated cover-up--

They say "cover-up."

They acquit him of murder, but convict him for cover-up

without knowing who the author was.

Anyway, the pressure from the media and the people

made them say, "This will appease them. We'll convict him for cover-up."

Resolution number two: We order Carlos Alberto Carrascosa's arrest

on the previously quoted accounts,

rendering null and void the freedom prior granted.

When the ruling is pronounced,

they handcuff him.

And it was a very shocking moment

because the tension in the air was out of the ordinary.

CARRASCOSA SENT TO JAIL FOR COVER-UP

The widower hears the sentence undaunted.

Then signs and leaves the court in handcuffs,

escorted by three police officers.

On his way out, he hugged his family,

who were there for the ruling and stood there crying.

He must've been the first to be convicted for cover-up

and detained on site. That was for the cameras.

Aimed at the bleachers, for the media.

No comment.

You've been waiting for this moment, Prosecutor.

What do you think of the verdict?

In this case, I appealed against the sentence

because, while I was hearing it, and you can read it,

they describe the murder.

But they decide to rule it a cover-up.

I even wondered if they had done it on purpose

so someone else would have to make the decision.

I was innocent, why wouldn't I appeal?

I appealed the cover-up verdict, of course!

And the prosecutor appealed my acquittal of murder.

It's unheard of!

But, anyway.

Any opinions, thoughts?

Molina Pico is now evaluating a formal accusation

against Irene Hurtig and Guillermo Bártoli for María Marta's crime.

-How do you feel about this? -I can't. Stop.

Subtitle translation by: M. C.