After more than half a century behind bars, Carlos Robledo Puch, known as “The Angel of Death”, seems to be far from being released. In this sense, the Appeals Chamber of San Isidro He was again denied his release for “inconsistent emotions”at the same time that he recommended his transfer to a health institution for the elderly.
In October of last year, his lawyer, Jorge Alfonso, had requested that his client be incorporated into a freedom regime or benefited from house arrest for being confined for 51 years, something unprecedented in Argentina. In this regard, the defense was protected by article 13 of the Penal Code, which indicates that “a person sentenced to imprisonment or life imprisonment who has served 35 years of sentence (…) may be released by judicial decision”.
The “Angel of Death” does not want to “die in jail”: Robledo Puch insists on obtaining freedom
However, in the last few hours, Judge Oscar Roberto Quintana, of Room I of the San Isidro Criminal Court of Appeals and Guarantees, rejected the lawyer’s request. The chambermaid pointed out in his ruling that “inmate emotions tend to be inconsistent in terms of how much they influence thought or decision-making or problem-solving processes. The inconsistency in the management of emotions gives rise to the fact that he is sometimes confused by them and can manifest them erratically“.
And I add: “Thinking is marked by more errors in judgment or cognitive slips than expected. Arbitrary thoughts that do not amount to delusion. Excessive adherence to convention serves as a defense against elements of psychotic distortion.”
Added to this, Quintana detailed in the ruling that the “Black Angel” has “paranoid tinge musings” and that he mistrusts the people who might take him in. Likewise, it pointed out that Puch “expressed objections regarding the lawyer who represents him, indicating that they named that lawyer this lady who came to see me (sic), that he had a lawyer, they took him out, they put Pomares, he They took him out and that this is a media lawyer”.
For all of the above, Quintana resolved not to release Robledo Puch “in the absence of a suitable address in the event of discharge, the absence of an extra-institutional social network that could provide support in the event of discharge, the absence of any planning of a proposal for an environment that provides support and structure as required by their pathologies, it is not feasible to give a favorable reception to the liberation claim urged“.
Finally, it requested the Directorate of Third Age of the Province of Buenos Aires to inform it which would be the health institutions for the elderly that “they would adapt to the needs of the inmate based on”.
Robledo Puch’s history
The “Black Angel” was sentenced on November 27, 1980 to “life imprisonment with the additional imprisonment for an indefinite period” by Room I of the Chamber of San Isidro, which found him guilty of 11 homicides. Likewise, he was convicted of attempted qualified homicide, repeated simple robbery, qualified robbery, qualified rape, qualified attempted rape, repeated kidnapping, indecent abuse, repeated simple robbery and damage.
That way, Robledo Puch’s prison journey began in Penal Unit 9 of La Plata, where he was housed from 1972 to 1981, the year in which he was transferred to Unit 2 of Sierra Chica. He remained there until May 23, 2019 when he was admitted to the Olavarría municipal hospital for “multifocal pneumonia.” Five days later, he was discharged and transferred to Unit 22 in Olmos, where the prison hospital operates.
After his recovery, He was transferred to Unit 26 of the same district, where he is currently staying. It is a prison that does not have walls but a perimeter fence and only houses inmates who are not serving sentences for serious crimes or are close to being released. Most of the prisoners are over 60 years of age.
This is not the first time that Puch has demanded his freedom. In this regard, on June 5, 2008, the court denied his request since they considered that the convicted person continued to be a danger to society. Along these lines, prior to hearing his sentence on November 27, 1980, the murderer had said before a judicial expert: “Someday I’m going to go out and kill them all”.
The crimes of the “Angel of Death”
The murder, robbery and rape saga started in may 1971 in the northern area of the suburbs and had as first accomplice to Jorge Ibáñezwhom he met at the age of 16 and who died the following August in an alleged car accident in which Robledo Puch was also involved.
The crimes continued along with his second accomplice, Héctor Somozawho was the last victim of the “Black Angel” in February 1972. This fact provided the Police with the main evidence to locate the murderer. In the pocket of Somoza’s shirt, whom he killed with the torch they used to break into the safes, they found Puch’s identity document.
The first homicide adjudicated to Robledo Puch occurred on May 3, 1971 and his victim Jose Bianchi, was a night watchman from a Vicente López spare parts house. The man was shot to death while his wife was shot and raped in the same act.
Some days after, May 14the “Angel of Death” and Ibáñez shot to death the night watchman of a bowling alley in Olivos, Manuel Godoyand also to the local manager, Pedro Mastronardi, who were surprised asleep. The next victim would be Juan Scattonenight watchman from a supermarket also in Olivos, who was riddled with bullets on May 24. In addition, the murderers toasted with whiskey over his corpse.
He June 13th, Virginia Rodriguez she was kidnapped, raped and shot to death on the side of the Panamericana. she followed her Ana Maria Dinardowho he June 24 she was kidnapped at the exit of a nightclub in Olivos to suffer the same fate as Rodríguez.
A few months later, on August 5, Ibáñez died in a suspected car accident which also involved Robledo Puch. The “Black Angel” would find a new accomplice: Héctor Somoza.
He November 15both murdered Raul Del Bene, guard of a supermarket in Boulogne. Two days later, the November 17they riddled Juan Rozas, caretaker of a car dealership. A week later, the November 25they murdered another car agency night watchman, Welcome Ferrini.
He February 3, 1972 the duo shot Manuel Acevedo in a hardware store. However, due to a fight Robledo Puch killed his accomplice with a torch. That same day the Police arrested the murderer, who was 20 years old at the time. Since then he has remained in prison, except for 68 hours in which he was a fugitive after fleeing from the Olmos prison in 1973, to later be recaptured.
mb / ds / ed