Judge ratifies arrests of five suspects in Candela case

The judge handling Candela Rodríguez’s case ratified the detention of five people involved in the kidnap and murder of the 11-year-old girl.

Five people were arrested last night in connection to the kidnapping and murder crime of Candela Rodríguez, will be questioned tomorrow by Morón prosecutor, Marcelo Tavolaro, investigators heading operation informed.

The detained party were identified as, Gladys Cabrera, the owner of the house where Candela was allegedly held captive and carpenter Néstor Altamirano will be questioned as necessary participants in an aggravated homicide. The other three people will be investigated for covering up the crime.

The other three arrested who were Gustavo Damián Valenzuela (aged 44), Alfredo Monteros (aged 75, lathe operator), and Alfredo Monteros Jr. ( aged 36, linked to the white car seized by the police).

The car was being analysed to determine if it was used to transport Candela’s body to the place where it was found.

Meanwhile, the Buenos Aires province police was leading a raid in the house in which Candela was reportedly held captive. The home owner, Gladys Cabrera, is one of the accused of the crime. The raid was supervised by Provincial Police Chief Juan Carlos Paggi.

A group of Villa Soldati citizens defended two of the men arrested within the probe into Candela Rodríguez’ kidnapping and murder. “They are patsies in this case, because they have worked all their lives and have no links to the murder.

Two of the arrested men are 75-year-old Alfredo Monteros, and his son, 35-year-old Alfredo “Pelusa” Montero, who live in in 3184 Itaquí street in the City neighbourhood of Puerto Madero.

Monteros Sr is a lathe operator and has run his business in his home for the past twenty years. According to the Police, 11 year old Candela was held captive in a house in Hurlingham, in which traces of her DNA were found.

The Hurlingham house, located in Kiernan 922, belongs to Monteros sr’s wifem Zaira Monteros, who reportedly inherited it. “All of us are extremely surprised with this situation. No one can believe it,” a woman who leaved near the Monteros’s Villa Soldati homes told reporters.

“These men are hard working people and they don’t’ deserve this. They are patsies,” he added.

Earlier, members of the Buenos Aires province police force lead new raids at the house of Néstor Altamirano, one of the five people detained, and also in other houses of Hurlingam in the framework of the case investigating the murder of Candela Sol Rodríguez.

Police sources reported that the mains raids were being held at Altamirano’s house, located at Charrúas street, and also at the house of another detained, Gladys Cabrera, where they have found DNA samples belonging to the 11-year-old girl.

The same sources informed that those DNA samples pertaining to the 11-year-old were found in the house along Kiernan Street at 900 in Villa Tesei, Hurlingham. The house was discovered last Thursday, where investigators found four human hairs, which were proved to have belonged to Candela.