José Martín Burgos, 48, walked into the Second Police Station in La Plata on a Thursday afternoon and confessed to an officer, “I’m here to turn myself in. I killed my wife.” The confession triggered a police response that uncovered the femicide of 39-year-old Gabriela Patricia Martínez inside a home on 39 Street between 121 and 122 in the Hipódromo neighborhood.
Confession and Investigation of the Hipódromo Femicidio
According to his statement to police, Burgos stated that the murder took place on Monday, October 12. Investigators found the victim’s body lying face up at the foot of a wooden staircase inside the residence, dressed in sleepwear. Initial official reports noted signs consistent with mechanical asphyxiation, specifically hanging, while other accounts noted that the suspect claimed he strangled her with his own hands.
Following his apprehension, the case was assigned to María Eugenia Di Lorenzo, head of Functional Instruction Unit (UFI) No. 17 in La Plata. During her initial inquiry, Burgos refused to declare. Central elements of the ongoing judicial process include autopsy results to determine the precise time and cause of death, alongside forensic perages and witness testimonies incorporated into the case file.
URGENTEUn caso de femicidio conmociona a #LaPlata Un hombre llamó al 911, confesó que había matado a su pareja y quedó detenido tras la intervención policial. El hecho ocurrió en una vivienda de 39 entre 121 y 122, en Barrio Hipódromo, donde se desplegó un importante… pic.twitter.com/2cMhdkcHiB
Did You Know? Court records and police registers confirmed that investigators found no prior reports or interventions involving domestic violence recorded between the couple, who had relocated to La Plata from the southern region of the country.
The Journey to Jujuy and the Custody Dispute Over the Child
After the attack on October 12, Burgos traveled to the province of Jujuy with the couple’s one-and-a-half-year-old son, leaving the child in the care of his sister before returning to La Plata to surrender. Police verified the child’s location via telephone prior to the suspect’s arrest on Thursday.
#Policiales 🚨⚫ Femicidio en La Plata: mató a su pareja, viajó a Jujuy para dejar a su hija y luego se entregóUn estremecedor femicidio ocurrido en La Plata es investigado por la Justicia. Un hombre está acusado de matar a su pareja y, tras el crimen, viajar hasta Jujuy para… pic.twitter.com/6F3vGqO616
Meanwhile, the victim’s family initiated legal steps to secure the return of the toddler to La Plata. Joana Martínez, one of Gabriela’s sisters, stated to EL DIA that the child had virtually grown up in La Plata and had no prior bond with the paternal relatives now caring for him in Jujuy. Family members stated they retained legal representation to request restitution of the minor, expressing distress over a lack of direct contact and alleging that the suspect’s sister retained the child’s documentation.
Expert Insight: In cases involving sudden violent crimes where children are transported across provincial jurisdictions, coordinating between distinct judicial districts becomes an immediate priority. Legal practitioners point out that custody restitution requests filed by maternal relatives require formal inter-provincial cooperation to resolve placement while criminal proceedings against an accused parent move forward independently.
𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐎́ 𝐀 𝐒𝐔 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐉𝐀 𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐀 𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐀, 𝐒𝐄 𝐅𝐔𝐄 𝐀 𝐉𝐔𝐉𝐔𝐘 𝐘 𝐕𝐎𝐋𝐕𝐈𝐎́ 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀 𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐀𝐑𝐒𝐄 𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐀 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐈́𝐀La Plata, 15 octubre (NA) — Un hombre de 48 años se presentó espontáneamente este jueves en la comisaría segunda de esta… pic.twitter.com/DWF6bPLCv1
Context of the Relationship and Next Judicial Steps
Family testimonies gathered during the investigation described a 15-year relationship marked by jealousy, manipulation, and isolation. Relatives stated that Gabriela had lived with Burgos in the south before moving into the Hipódromo neighborhood house, and noted that the suspect often restricted her contact with her relatives.
As prosecutor María Eugenia Di Lorenzo continues gathering forensic evidence and analyzing the timeline of events, the legal proceedings will focus on establishing the complete sequence of the crime and the exact circumstances surrounding the trip to Jujuy. The family maintains its dual focus on advancing the criminal prosecution and securing the return of the child to his maternal environment.
Answers Regarding the Police Investigation and Child Custody
When did the femicidio occur according to the police investigation?
According to the statement given by José Martín Burgos to the authorities, the killing took place on Monday, October 12, three days before he surrendered at the police station.
Who is overseeing the judicial investigation into the case?
The criminal investigation is directed by María Eugenia Di Lorenzo, the titular prosecutor of Functional Instruction Unit (UFI) No. 17 in La Plata.
La trama detrás del horror en Barrio HipódromoTres días de silencio y un hallazgo desgarrador en La Plata: encontraron muerta a una mujer tras la confesión de su pareja. Investigan un femicidio por estrangulamiento. El sospechoso, detenido https://t.co/8vm5eNdQN0
Where is the couple’s young child currently staying?
Following the crime, the one-and-a-half-year-old child was taken to the province of Jujuy and left in the care of the suspect’s sister, prompting legal restitution requests from the victim’s maternal family in La Plata.
How will inter-provincial legal channels handle the custody restitution request filed by the maternal family?
MATÓ A SU PAREJA, SE LLEVÓ A SU HIJO Y SE ENTREGÓ TRES DÍAS DESPUÉSLectura rápidaJosé Martín Burgos (48) se presentó en una comisaría de La Plata y confesó haber asesinado a su pareja, Gabriela Patricia Martínez (39). Sucedió en la vivienda que compartían en el barrio… pic.twitter.com/8FQOWoNAjx
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