Carina Andrea Candelas, a 56-year-old woman, was brutally killed in a Rosario pharmacy on a Wednesday morning in an attack that lasted less than two minutes, capturing public attention and reigniting urgent conversations around gender-based violence and escalating harassment in Argentina.
The Two-Minute Sequence at Marketing Farm
The tragic sequence unfolded at Marketing Farm, located at the corner of Dorrego and Zeballos in Rosario. According to investigative findings detailed by outlets such as CFIN, the assailant, identified as 55-year-old Martín Laureano Banchero, arrived at the scene driving a 2019 Citroën C-Elysee 1.6 HDI, which he left parked in double-file on Zeballos street at approximately 9:39 a.m.
Banchero walked directly into the pharmacy, asked for Carina, and marched straight into the establishment’s back storage room where she was working. Security cameras outside the business recorded his entry at 9:39 a.m. and his exit just two minutes later at 9:41 a.m. Within that terrifying window, Banchero inflicted seven stab wounds using a knife that was subsequently left abandoned inside the depot.
A coworker courageously attempted to intervene during the assault, but the extreme level of violence and the fact that the attacker wielded a deadly weapon made it impossible to stop him. Personnel from the Integrated Health Emergency System (SIES) arrived shortly after, but Candelas succumbed to her severe injuries at the scene.
Rapid Apprehension and Evidence Recovery
Surveillance footage provided crucial timeline anchors for investigators. Approximately 20 seconds after Banchero exited the pharmacy at 9:41 a.m., his vehicle pulled away from the corner and turned down Zeballos street.
Law enforcement apprehended the suspect roughly ten minutes after the femicide. A motorized police brigade located Banchero at his apartment building on Colón street at the 2000 block. He had parked his car in front of the garage before heading up to the terrace carrying a bottle of alcohol, displaying apparent intentions to take his own life according to the investigation’s findings. Police intercepted and arrested him near the first floor as he moved toward the elevator.
Investigators executed thorough forensic pericias on the terrace and inside Banchero’s fourth-floor apartment. Authorities seized an iPhone 16 Pro Max, his glasses, personal and vehicle documentation, and a fuel station receipt from the terrace. Inside the apartment, police recovered a computer, a paystub belonging to the victim, and a sharpening stone used for honing blades.
A History of Harassment Behind Closed Doors
Prosecutor Laura Riccardo, who is leading the judicial inquiry, noted that Banchero had no prior formal complaints registered against him for gender violence. However, the investigation established a disturbing pattern of constant harassment directed at Candelas following their separation in December.
According to judicial findings, this persistent harassment included stalking episodes and instances where Banchero showed up uninvited at the pharmacy where Candelas worked solely to hurl insults at her. The prosecution focused heavily on reconstructing this hostile buildup to establish the precise context leading up to the fatal attack.
The case has been scheduled for a formal imputation hearing at the Centro de Justicia Penal, where the Fiscalía will officially lay out charges against Banchero and present the primary evidentiary elements gathered by investigators.
The Broader Impact on Public Safety and Legal Accountability
The murder of Carina Candelas has sent shockwaves through Rosario, an Argentine city already grappling with severe security challenges. Local community groups and advocacy networks point out that this tragedy underscores the lethal risks posed by unchecked post-separation stalking and harassment.
As the judicial process moves toward the imputation hearing, the community continues to demand more robust intervention mechanisms for women facing escalating harassment before it culminates in irreversible violence.
How can local institutions and legal frameworks better protect individuals undergoing relentless post-separation harassment before warning signs turn fatal? Share your thoughts below.
