A former teammate of the young man found in the house rented by Cerati is now under suspicion.

The case regarding the murder of Diego Fernández,  the teenager who disappeared in 1984, took an unexpected turn. More than 40 years after the event,  a key witness identified as a suspect a former schoolmate of the young man,  who was reportedly his friend at that time.

Diego's remains were found by construction workers this past May, while they were building a dividing wall in a house located on Avenida Congreso, Coghlan neighborhood.The property borders the house where, years later, Gustavo Cerati,former leader of Soda Stereo, lived.

The property has belonged since the 1970s to the Graf family. Meanwhile, it was precisely a member of that family, Cristian Graf,  who is now under judicial scrutiny.

The connection between the suspect and the victim

Cristian Graf, now 56 years old, attended Technical School No. 36 together with Diego. The new witness, another former student  who currently lives abroad, stated that both maintained a friendship and that the discovery of the remains caused a stir in a WhatsApp group shared by the alumni.

The testimony will be given virtually this Thursday before prosecutor Martín López Perrando.  If it proves compelling, it could lead to the formal indictment of Graf for homicide. However, the passage of time works against the case: the case could be declared statute-barred due to the expiration of legal deadlines.

Since the discovery of the remains, the Graf family has been closely monitored by investigators. Cristian's mother continues to live in the house where the body was found; he and his sister left the home years ago.

The day Diego disappeared

July 26, 1984 was the last time Diego Fernández was seen alive. After having lunch with his mother, he left for a friend's house and did not return. He was last seen at Rómulo Naón and Monroe, Belgrano neighborhood.

At just 16 years old, Diego trained in soccer at Excursionistas club. That day he was not carrying his sports bag, he was only wearing his school uniform.

His family tried to report the disappearance, but the police classified the case as "runaway". The investigation was virtually nonexistent for decades. In 1986, Diego's father, Juan Benigno, publicly denounced the abandonment of the case in the magazine ¡Esto!.

In a recent interview, Javier, Diego's brother, stated: "I feel empty. My father died searching for him. In 1991 he was run over by a truck." He also said that he hopes for justice: "Ideally, it would be to know why."

The discovery that changed everything

The discovery of the body happened by accident. While building a wall, workers noticed a collapse in the backyard of the house and found human bones.

The story gained public attention when it became known that Gustavo Cerati had lived there, who had rented the house to Marina Olmi. It was then that one of Diego's nephews suspected that the remains could be his and contacted the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF).

DNA confirmed that it was Diego Fernández. The autopsy revealed that he died from a stab wound in the area of the fourth right rib. Failed attempts to dismember the body with a saw were also detected. He was hastily buried in a pit just 60 centimeters (2 feet) deep.

Among the objects found with the bones were:  a size 41 shoe, a blue school bow tie, a keychain with a key, a Casio calculator watch, and a 5-yen coin that Diego carried as a good luck charm.

A crime silenced for decades

The case remained ignored for more than 40 years, while Diego's family searched for him without answers. Chance, combined with forensic work and the memory of those who shared his life, reactivated a case that could finally be approaching the truth.

The next judicial step will depend on the value of the new testimony and the prosecutor's decision. Although the statute of limitations threatens to close the case without convictions, the emergence of a suspect rekindles hope: that, after so much silence, someone will answer for what happened to Diego.