Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: CEN

This man who confessed to killing and dismembering his pretty ex-girlfriend, also pictured, before eating her heart has been arrested again after a judge let him go.

The self-confessed cannibal was held in preventative detention for over six years before a judge decided to release him because of a lack of evidence but women’s rights groups slammed the decision.

Suspect Jimmy Virgilio Villatoro Arguello reportedly admitted to murdering his 19-year-old ex-girlfriend Wendy Lizzet Ochoa Mendez in May 2012 to investigators.

Pictures Credit: CEN

The shocking murder took place in the city of Tuxtla Gutierrez in the state of Chiapas in southern Mexico and Arguello was arrested shortly after Mendez’s body was found. She was reportedly strangled to death before being dismembered. 

Her body parts were placed in bags and left in different areas of the city. Arguello reportedly confessed to having committed the brutal murder and having eaten his ex-girlfriend’s heart.

He was held in jail for six years and nine months after his first arrest without ever being convicted of the murder. In that time, investigators found that the teenage victim had previously reported him to the authorities, asking for him to be arrested.

However, nothing was done about the report as prosecutor Irma Alicia Bautista Marquez claimed she did not have enough time to investigate it.

Despite Arguello having confessed to the brutal murder and cannibalism, a judge ordered his release in February this year because of a lack of evidence in the murder case and several appeals against him being held having been launched.

Women’s rights organisation were outraged at his release and asked for further investigations into the case.

Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca, Head of the General Prosecution of the State of Chiapas has now informed in a press conference that Arguello, nicknamed ‘The Cannibal of Tuxtla’ has been arrested again for the murder as his “protection order” had been removed on 17th May.

He was sent to the Prison Number 14 El Amante and prosecutors say he faces over 50 years in prison if found guilty.

It is unclear why Arguello had a protection order after his release. Reports state the suspect had been charged with other crimes after his initial arrest but it is unclear if he was ever taken to trial for the other crimes, which have not been specified in reports.