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Mar del Plata femicide: Mailén's family suspects taxi driver may have been the informant
🇦🇷 Argentina /Crime & Justice

Mar del Plata femicide: Mailén's family suspects taxi driver may have been the informant

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Mailén Johana Antonich, 24, was found murdered in Mar del Plata after disappearing while going to a job interview.
  • Her family suspects the taxi driver who took her to the interview, with whom she had begun a relationship, may have been involved.
  • Two people are currently detained in connection with the femicide.

The brutal femicide of Mailén Johana Antonich, 24, has sent shockwaves through Mar del Plata, with her family now pointing suspicion at a taxi driver who had recently begun a relationship with the victim.

When I found out Mailén was missing, I started looking for the taxi driver who took her. I found him, and he told me he was getting to know her, that they had something. Then, he blocked me on chat.

— LuisMailén's uncle described his interactions with the taxi driver after her disappearance.

Antonich disappeared on Saturday afternoon after leaving her home for a supposed job interview. Her family initiated a search, and her brother tragically discovered her body early Sunday morning. She was found in a secluded area near Punta Mogotes, bound and hidden behind a shack, covered by a blanket.

Her uncle, Luis, revealed that the taxi driver, who had been seeing Mailén, became evasive after her disappearance. "When I found out Mailén was missing, I started looking for the taxi driver who took her. I found him, and he told me he was getting to know her, that they had something. Then, he blocked me on chat," Luis told A24.

I want to know why he blocked me and why he didn't say anything when he didn't find her.

— LuisMailén's uncle questioned the taxi driver's actions and lack of communication.

Luis expressed his suspicion that the driver's behavior, including blocking him and failing to report Mailén missing after he couldn't find her, indicates his potential involvement. "I want to know why he blocked me and why he didn't say anything when he didn't find her," he stated, directly telling interviewers, "Yes," when asked if he believed the driver was the one who handed her over to her killer.

Yes

— LuisMailén's uncle confirmed his suspicion that the taxi driver may have been involved in handing her over to her killer.

Authorities have detained two individuals in connection with the case. Mailén was a mother to two young daughters, aged 1 and 6.

I took her as a favor, we are hitting it off, I picked her up and she told me she had a job interview. They called her suddenly from there and at 9 I picked her up and didn't find her. Since she wasn't answering, I left.

— Taxi driverThe taxi driver's explanation to Mailén's uncle via WhatsApp audio before blocking him.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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