On Wednesday afternoon, Uruguayan police found the body of 17-year-old Valentina Cancela, who had been missing for 24 hours. The victim’s ex-boyfriend, Santino Gandini, of the same age, was arrested, confessed to the crime, and indicated where he had hidden the body.
The killer and the victim’s friend exchange WhatsApp messages in which he admits he was the last person to see her alive and expresses concern that the family is looking for the girl.
“Didn’t he answer you too? Have you already answered?” Santino asked the girl, whom he calls “Isa”, a few hours after the crime. At the same time, the teenager hid his responsibility, indicating that he was at home with his father, and sent him a photo as proof, smiling and putting his thumb up.
CCTV footage allowed the police to see how Valentina and her boyfriend arrived at the beach, and a few hours later the young man left alone.
Valentina lived in Punta del Este and studied in the fifth grade of high school in this Uruguayan city. According to statements by family and close friends to local media, she was romantically involved with Santino, a young man of the same age and from the same city, but everyone called the relationship “toxic”. In fact, the young man has accumulated complaints of gender-based violence.
This is the youngest case of femicide in Uruguay.