Argentinian police got a crucial clue in their pursuit of a fugitive killer and rapist in the worst way possible last Friday (November 15).
Fabiana Sirino, an eight-year-old who had disappeared while returning to her home from school in the town of 25 de Mayo, Argentina, was found by her sister on the verge of losing her life, using her last remaining strength to reveal the identity of her killer.
Highlights
- 8-year-old Fabiana Sirino named her killer with her dying breath, leading to his arrest.
- The girl's neighbor, Marcelo Daniel Muller, feigned innocence and visited the family post-crime.
- Argentine citizens demand severe punishment, with some calling for death penalty for the culprit.
- The murder of Fabiana coincided with killings of two other women the same day.
The girl's family immediately began searching for her on their own after noticing the 8-year-old was missing. Her older sister found her, suffering from serious stab wounds, in a forest about 650 feet from their house, and alerted her parents afterward.
Sadly, it was too late for Fabiana, who was bleeding profusely and had been sexually abused moments prior. Her dad desperately took her to the hospital, and on the way there, she whispered that the family’s neighbor had attacked her.
An eight-year-old revealed the name of her rapist and killer with her dying breath, leading police to arrest him
Image credits: Ahmet Kurt / Unsplash
“Nanico did that to me,” Fabiana said, referring to the nickname of 34-year-old Marcelo Daniel Muller. “Look at me, I’m going to die. My heart hurts,” she reportedly said before taking her final breath.
The revelation took the family by surprise, as they had grown to trust the 34-year-old, who even feigned innocence and visited the family shortly after the crime was committed to supposedly “help” them find Fabiana.
Image credits: TN
The girl’s mother talked with local news outlets, explaining that she had spoken to Muller the day before the incident, during which he mentioned wanting to sell her a machete and a flashlight.
Image credits: FANCOTY
Inhabitants of the town of 25 de Mayo told authorities that they had seen Muller suspiciously hanging around the school Fabiana attended in the days before the attack.
Upon being informed of the perpetrator's identity, police mobilized and arrested the neighbor, who remains in custody under suspicion of murder until a court hearing officially declares him guilty.
Argentinians took to social media to call for justice, with some even demanding that the man be executed for his crimes
Image credits: FANCOTY
“She was such a loving girl, with her whole life ahead of her,” the mother told a local outlet. “I have no words to explain how there are such evil people in this world capable of doing such harm to an eight-year-old girl.”
Image credits: TN
Argentinians took to social media to express their horror and anger about what happened, demanding the most severe punishments for the rapist.
“Death penalty for all murderous rapists because for the innocent it already exists!” an Argentinian netizen wrote, sharing the disturbing news on X.
“I can’t even state what I want done to this piece of s— because X would close my account,” another said.
Image credits: Primera Edicion
The murder of eight-year-old Fabiana Sirino coincided with the announcement of the killing of two other women that same day, and a fourth woman who was able to escape with her life, as reported by local sources.
In March, local non-profit La Casa del Encuentro revealed that the country had experienced 61 femicides as of that date, an increase of 8% compared to the same period last year.
Comments in Spanish have been translated into English with the help of a native speaker.
"He should be erased from society," wrote one reader, as others joined in to demand justice for Fabiana
