Tragic Masacre in Santiago del Estero: Officer Kills Daughter and Ex-mother-in-law
A chilling incident occurred on Friday night in the Triángulo neighborhood of Monte Quemado, Santiago del Estero, leaving a family shattered and a community in shock. Nicolás David Ábalos, a police officer, is accused of fatally shooting his one-year-old daughter and his ex-mother-in-law before taking his own life. The mayor of Monte Quemado, Eva Harrington, confirmed the grim details of the tragedy.
The events unfolded when Lorena Navarro, the officer’s ex-partner and mother of their child, went to Ábalos’ residence to pick up their daughter, Bianca, who was a year and seven months old. However, what should have been a routine exchange ended in a gruesome confrontation.
According to local media reports, Ábalos had a history of violence and had previously been denounced for violence against women. In December 2021, Lorena had filed a complaint against him, leading to his exclusion from their shared residence and a 180-day restraining order. The couple briefly reconciled in 2022, resulting in Bianca’s birth, but their relationship deteriorated again in 2023.
The couple was also entangled in a dispute over three properties: a house in Monte Quemado and two in Campo Gallo. These issues, coupled with Ábalos’ alleged history of violence, highlight a disturbing pattern that, unfortunately, resulted in Friday’s horrific events.
The fiscal in charge of the case, Santiago Bridoux, is exploring two main hypotheses: whether the attack was triggered by a heated argument or if Ábalos had planned it beforehand. Whatever the motivation, the consequences were devastating.
Lorena fled Ábalos’ house and sought refuge with her parents next door. Ábalos, however, broke into their home and opened fire, killing Lorena’s mother, Olga Cuellar (62), who tried to hide behind a door. He also shot Lorena, her father, Víctor Navarro (64), and their 9-year-old son, who suffered multiple leg injuries from bullet fragments.
After the senseless violence, Ábalos killed himself with a gunshot wound to the chin outside his ex-suegro’s store. The victims were rushed to the Monte Quemado hospital and later transferred to other healthcare facilities in La Banda and the provincial capital.
Lorena and her father underwent surgery and are currently in stable condition. Their 9-year-old son, who suffered six injuries from bullet fragments, is expected to be discharged soon.
This tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the destructive power of untreated mental health issues and the tragic consequences of unaddressed domestic violence.