Claudio Barrelier, arrested in Córdoba as the main suspect in the murder of Agostina Vega, 14 years old, gave a statement for more than three hours at the judicial headquarters. The procedural step was supervised by the investigating prosecutor Raúl Garzón, before whom the accused attempted to dissociate himself from the events for which he is formally charged. This judicial presentation was coordinated after the criminal lawyer Carlos Argüello took over the legal representation, who urged his client to break the silence maintained since the beginning of the case.
The accused faces charges of alleged sexual abuse with carnal access in real competition with triple homicide qualified by treachery, criminis causa, and gender violence. After the hearing concluded at the judicial building, prosecutor Raúl Garzón spoke to the media present to explain the scope of the day. The magistrate declined to provide details about the testimony to safeguard the remaining procedural measures and firmly reiterated: "Barrelier can say whatever he wants, the evidence incriminates and compromises him."
When asked about the possibility that this new version could change the procedural situation of the accused, the judicial official ruled out any favorable scenario for the defendant's defense. Categorically, prosecutor Garzón emphasized in front of the press that "it is not feasible, there is no chance of him being free of guilt and charge. Absolutely not." The proceedings will continue under partial secrecy of the investigation to analyze the elements presented and compare them with the previous expert reports incorporated into the case.
Soledad Andreani and Osvaldo Fassetta are charged with aggravated concealment
Involved and penal situation of the other defendants
The criminal investigation not only encompasses the main accused but also includes 5 other people linked to different aspects of the events that occurred in the Cofico neighborhood. Osvaldo Miguel Fassetta, Soledad Andrea Andreani, and Marianela Soledad Palmero are charged under the figure of aggravated concealment due to suspicions of hiding crucial evidence. Simultaneously, Matías Jesús Córdoba and Eugenia Ludmila Ascarruz face identical accusations for allegedly concealing the actions carried out in the family home.
For the investigators of the case, this group of people knew determining details about what happened in the house located on Juan del Campillo street at 800. According to the hypothesis developed by the prosecution, the victim arrived at that property on the night of May 23, where she was assaulted and subsequently murdered. Defense attorney Carlos Argüello considered that the new contributions from his client could directly impact the criminal classification affecting the other accused.
In order to deepen the defensive work, the legal representation seeks to resolve the issues detected to interview Barrelier at the Cruz del Eje penitentiary. The lawyer stated that during a recent meeting he observed the detainee under pharmacological treatment and cognitive inaccuracies that made it difficult to establish a structured and comprehensible dialogue. Due to this situation, the defense requested a detailed report from the Penitentiary Service to specify the medications, doses, and schedules administered to the inmate.
Marianela Palmero, Barrelier's partner, is also charged with aggravated concealment
Scientific evidence and progress of the case
Any testimony that the defense attempts to incorporate must be objectively contrasted with all the evidentiary elements accumulated by the intervening prosecution. The judicial file gathers multiple testimonial statements, cross-references of phone calls, security camera records, and reconstructions of vehicle movements. Among the most relevant indications is the expert report conducted on a seized Ford Ka, in which the luminol test yielded a positive result compatible with blood.
The defense's planning includes returning to the Cruz del Eje prison once the medical report is obtained to detail the chronological sequence of events. Following that work, lawyer Carlos Argüello will request an extension of the statement before the prosecution to formally present the gathered data. In this way, the judicial case adds a decisive chapter while the investigation collects new certainties to support the accusation in the future trial.
The court will maintain the collection of biological and computer evidence to determine whether the version upheld by Barrelier is consistent with the pre-existing scientific data. The prosecution will continue processing the information without ruling out the summoning of new witnesses who can provide clarity about the hours following the murder of the teenager. Judicial authorities reiterated that the procedural priority lies in consolidating the collected evidence to ensure a fair and definitive process for all involved.
