In a tale reminiscent of a gripping crime novel, 70-year-old Ramón Ángel Abregú has resurfaced in Argentina after spending over two decades eluding authorities in the depths of the Argentinian rain forest. Convicted of the heinous crime of killing his pregnant wife, Abregú’s reappearance has brought a complex legal quandary, with the statute of limitations playing a central role in his quest for freedom.
The events leading to Abregú’s fugitive status unfolded in 2000 when he shot his pregnant wife four times in a Río Grande medical clinic. Convicted of femicide, a crime with gender-related motivations, Abregú was sentenced to two decades behind bars. In February 2001, shortly after his sentencing, he escaped.
Abregú, seizing an opportunity when security was lacking, successfully evaded authorities, disappearing into the Chaco Salteño jungle. Then, Abregú resurfaced, having crossed four border points, two in Argentina and two in Chile, without any official papers, highlighting the intricacies of his life on the run.
His reappearance brought him to the criminal trial court in Río Grande, where he sought to have the case dropped based on the statute of limitations, a legal provision that sets a time limit for prosecuting certain offenses. His lawyer, Alejandro De la Riva, explained that the statute of limitations for his client's crime is 20 years, a period during which Abregú managed to remain a fugitive.
De la Riva asserted that Abregú effectively served his sentence by living in hiding, invoking legal complexities that challenge a straightforward resolution to the case. As Abregú is currently being held in the Río Grande Detention Unit, his lawyer is actively seeking his release. However, legal experts suggest that his freedom is not guaranteed, as there are substantial legal issues surrounding his case. The prosecutor’s office has indicated that his release is “not so automatic,” adding a layer of uncertainty.
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As legal proceedings unfold, the delicate balance between the pursuit of justice and the constraints of the statute of limitations will determine the fate of a man who has remained on the run for more than two decades.
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