Investigators think they were murdered five days prior to an encounter with a local drug cartel. Buenos Aires provincial security minister Javier Alonso said this horrific crime was streamed live to a private group of about 45 people.
So far, six suspects have been arrested, and six more are still on the run. Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof referred to the case as a "narco-femicide."
Possible Gang Links
Sources say the women were invited to what they thought was a gathering to party in Florencio Varela, a suburb in Buenos Aires, located about 25 kilometers (15 miles) south of the city. Instead, they were accused of drug stealing.
In the videos that have been circulated, a man's voice can be heard saying, "This is what happens to anyone who steals drugs from me."
Alonso said that the police are still checking to see if there is any prior connection to the gang, and revenge may have been a motive in their murder. At this time, it is not known under what pretense the women were engaging with the gang.
Outrage and Protests
The killings have spurred outrage with protests breaking out across the country demanding justice, according to news agencies from around the world.
Carrying posters with statements like "Stop killing us" and "Not one less," feminist organizations have called for an end to murder violence against women and gender oblivion at the heart of accountability.
A civil rights group, Casa del Encuentro, said 164 women in Argentina had been killed in the first eight months of 2025.
Families of the victims are also speaking up in anguish and anger. Paula, the mother of Brenda del Castillo, said, "I want them all behind bars...They took my daughter from me...My daughter was a good girl, and none of these three girls deserved to die the way they did."
