Ferreyra case: key witness found alive

Alfonso Severo, the key witness in the case investigating the murder of left-wing militant Mariano Ferreyra in 2010 that disappeared on Wednesday night, was found alive in Gerli, Avellaneda district.

The 54-year-old man walked by his own means to a radio taxi agency in Gerli with his hands tied and signs of being beaten up, according to the first reports. He was then transferred to the Finochietto hospital in the same district.

Severo's family had reported his disappearance on Wednesday night, the day before he was supposed to testify at the trial over Mariano Ferreyra's crime. At noon BA province police found Severo’s car parked five blocks from his house.

The automobile was found around 1:30pm in the neighbourhood of Gerli in Southern Greater Buenos Aires district of Lanús. According to first reports the vehicle does not present any signs of violence. Likewise, neighbours in the block declared that the car was not there early this morning.

Severo’s son told reporters that last contact was on Wednesday night and over the phone.

“He called my wife around 10:30pm saying he was coming over to visit his grandchild. He only lives 10 blocks away. At 11pm he hadn’t arrived so we started calling his cell but all calls went straight to voice mail.”

“We have already called police stations and hospitals, but there are no clues about my father’s whereabouts.”

Likewise, his son revealed that his father had been receiving all kind of phone threats lately, and the last one was yesterday.

“They called us and just made us listen to a TV set.”

Furthermore, the house of the family was shot several times ever since Severo decided to give his testimony on the murdering of Workers' Party activist Mariano Ferreyra by alleged members of the Railway Union during clashes between the former and outsourced Roca train line workers.

As a result of the probe, former Metropolitan Police superintendent Hugo Lompizano was arrested, while Railway Union head José Pedraza, was indicted as the mastermind of the crime and remains in custody. Suspects also include 16 Railway Union members, football hooligans, and police officers.

Severo was to declare today at noon in a testimony that was said to clarify the links between Pedraza and the gang that attacked the group Ferreyra was part when he was shot.