The prosecution requested life imprisonment for Mariano Barbieri's murderer.

The trial for the murder of Mariano Barbieri, which occurred in August 2023 in the Buenos Aires neighborhood of Palermo, has entered its final stage.

After four months of hearings, prosecutor Nicolás Amelotti requested that the Oral Criminal Court No. 11 sentence the sole defendant, Isaías José Suárez, to life imprisonment under the charge of aggravated homicide criminis causae.

This classification, provided for in the Penal Code, applies to those who kill to conceal another crime or guarantee their own impunity, and entails the impossibility of accessing parole.

In a two-hour presentation,  the prosecutor presented the evidence that, in his view, links Suárez to the incident.  The plaintiff agreed with the request for the maximum sentence.  After the hearing,  Maricel, the victim's wife, stated that the Public Prosecutor'sargument was"very convincing" and said: "We hope that justice is served".

The court ordered a recess until Thursday at 2:00 p.m., when it will be the defense's turn to present its arguments. If this proceeds without delay, the verdict could be delivered immediately; otherwise, a date will be set for its reading.

The incident occurred on the night of August 30, 2023, in Plaza Sicilia, located at the intersection of Del Libertador and Casares avenues. Barbieri, 42 years old, had left a temporary residence on Santa Fe and Malabia avenues with the intention of observing the full moon, according to messages sent to family and friends. While he was sitting in the center of the plaza, he was approached by a man armed with a knife who tried to steal his cell phone. During the struggle, he was stabbed in the chest. The assailant fled with the device.

Severely injured, Barbieri crossed Del Libertador Avenue and reached an ice cream shop, where he recounted what had happened before being transported by SAME to Fernández Hospital. He died during an emergency operation. The autopsy determined that the wound, between six and seven centimeters (2.4 to 2.8 inches) deep, affected the pleura, pericardium, and right atrium of the heart, causing massive internal bleeding.

The weapon used was found in the plaza by a television reporter the following day and contained traces of the victim's blood, confirmed by DNA analysis. The investigation determined that Suárez had physical and gestural similarities with the perpetrator recorded on security cameras, as well as injuries consistent with a struggle. The defendant has a criminal record and repeated prior arrests.

Barbieri, an engineer and father of an infant, was also an active libertarian activist. In the PASO 2023 he served as a poll watcher for La Libertad Avanza and on social media displayed the "Don't tread on me" flag, a symbol of the movement. In August 2023, he posted: "Protecting libertarian votes", along with a photo of his general poll watcher credential.

With the process nearing its conclusion, the prosecution insists that the evidence is conclusive to impose an exemplary sentence and close a case that shocked public opinion and once again exposed the problem of repeat offenders in the country.