Cecilia Strzyzowski disappearance: burnt suitcase may contain new evidence

Her husband, César Sena, changed lawyers and has been moved to a different police station

The remains of a burnt suitcase that could belong to the missing Cecilia Strzyzowski, have been found in a neighborhood built by a foundation led by Emerenciano Sena. He is the father of Cecilia’s husband, César Sena. Both of them, along with César’s mother, Marcela Acuña, have been charged for her alleged murder.

Strzyzowski (28) has been missing since June 1, last seen with her husband in Resistencia, Chaco province. Her disappearance is being investigated as a femicide after possible human bones, blood traces and pieces of clothing have been found at two of the Sena family properties. César Sena (19) and his parents, who are powerful piquetero leaders and were candidates for yesterday’s provincial elections, are being charged with aggravated murder. Another four people are indicted under suspicion of being involved in the alleged murder or in hiding the body.

Meanwhile, César Sena has been moved to a police station 70 kilometers away from where he was originally held to keep him away from his father, who was in a different cell in the same station. He has also hired a new lawyer to defend him, Ricardo Osuna.

Burnt suitcase found in one of the Sena family’s fields. Source: Télam.

The potential new evidence

Prosecutor Jorge Cáceres Olivera ordered an urgent search of the Barrio Emenciano yesterday midday after police were alerted about the burnt objects. On arrival, police confirmed that there was a suitcase, burnt clothes (possibly a pink coat) and a key. Officials combed the area, including a team of divers that searched the neighborhood swimming pool, in search of more objects that could pertain to the case but those efforts were unsuccessful.

If the suitcase is found to have belonged to Strzyzowski, it may have been made for the supposed trip to Ushuaia planned by her husband César Sena — the investigation considers that it was a ruse by Sena’s family to commit the alleged crime. Cecilia was last seen when her husband picked her up from a relative’s house for the flight to Ushuaia.

The new evidence will be analyzed by the Medicine and Forensic Sciences Institute (IMCiF, by its Spanish acronym), located in Chaco’s capital, Resistencia. The family will be informed of the results, sources involved in the investigation told Télam. Gloria Romero, Strzyzowski’s mother, said that experts from other provinces will be brought in to supervise and corroborate findings by Chaco officials.

Barrio Emerenciano is a housing complex built by Emerenciano Sena’s foundation, called Saúl Acuña. The neighborhood, built for low-income families, was finished with provincial funding during Capitanich’s first term as Chaco governor. Emerenciano and his wife were also candidates for Capitanich’s Frente Chaqueño for yesterday’s primary elections, but were removed from the ballot after suspicion of their role in Cecilia’s disappearance grew. The case may have had an effect on the election’s results.

A piece of clothing thought to be a pink coat. Source: Télam.

The charges

According to judicial sources, the Sena family and another couple played a direct role in Strzyzowski’s disappearance because they were all at the family home where it is suspected the attack took place. 

César Sena has been charged with aggravated murder for his close relationship with Cecilia and for the crime being committed during a gender based violence episode, which would make it a femicide. Meanwhile, his parents are facing accusations of aggravated murder for premeditation as co-authors.

The other married couple, meanwhile, has been charged with aggravated murder too, one of them for being a necessary participant, and the other for being a secondary participant.

“We are still investigating the role each of them had in the scene, but the five of them were at the house where the investigated event happened,” a spokesperson of the research told Télam.

The other two people charged as secondary participants of the murder are suspected of helping the Sena family dispose of the body.

Gloria Romero, Strzyzowski’s mother, has organized a “ceremony to remember Cecilia, so that the people can get to know her” today at 4:30 p.m at the Plaza 25 de mayo, a central square in Resistencia.

“It’s not exactly a protest, it will be a very quiet thing, I invited many artists […] because what I want is a meeting to say goodbye to Cecilia,” Romero told Télam. “It’s practically confirmed that it was a trap and that it was set up to kill her so there is no hope, not in the slightest.”

Gloria Romero, Cecilia’s mother, receives a hug from a child after voting yesterday. Source: Télam.

—with information from Télam.

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