Story By: Juan Mayes, Sub-Editor: Joana Mihajlovska, Agency:  Newsflash

The trial for the brutal murder of this woman has started and her boyfriend is accused of asphyxiating her with a rag before burning her body on a grill and dumping her charred remains.

Naim Vera Menem, 20, appeared before his judges at the Penal Court number one in the city of San Fernando del Valle de Catamarca in the Argentine province of Catamarca yesterday (5th May).

He is suspected of placing a rag inside the mouth of his girlfriend Brenda Micaela Gordillo, 24, asphyxiating her to death after a heated argument at his home on 1st March 2020.

Vera Menem then allegedly placed her body on a grill and severely burnt it hoping to get rid of any evidence.

Vera Menem then cut the body, which had been badly damaged from the fire, into two pieces. He discarded one in a rubbish container and another next to provincial route four.

Local media said the suspect then called a lawyer friend and his parents who accompanied him to a station where he turned himself in.

It is unclear why he ultimately decided to turn himself in.

The police recovered Brenda’s body within hours of the confession and confirmed her identity through DNA testing.

Local media said during Vera Menem’s court appearance yesterday (Wednesday 5 May) he apologised to both his and the victim’s families saying: “I want to ask for forgiveness to Brenda’s mum, her family and friends. Also my family.”

The court decided to go into an intermission room until later today (6 May).

However, local newspaper Todo Noticia said the apology fell on some deaf ears as Brenda’s brother Ivan Espeche said: “These apologies are in vain, they are empty because that is what an accused person does, offers apologies after committing a terrible femicide.” (https://bit.ly/3b7TqTv)

He added he hopes Vera Menem receives an exemplary sentence “so woman-killers know they won’t get away with it so easily.”

It is unclear when a verdict is expected to be heard.