Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch

Case record: Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch

Carlos Eduardo Robledo Puch, also known as "The Death Angel" or "The Black Angel", was an Argentine serial killer. He was born on January 22, 1952 in Buenos Aires.

Background

Robledo Puch lived in Tigre and Villa Adelina. He met his accomplice, Jorge Ibañez, at age 16. Robledo Puch was an accomplice to Jorge Ibañez.

In 1973 Robledo Puch escaped from Unit 9 in La Plata. He was recaptured and taken to Sierra Chica prison, where he was locked in Hall 10 for homosexuals.

Psychiatric and psychological studies yielded unfavorable results. The studies determined that, since 2001, Robledo Puch suffered psychotic outbreaks, had a wicked personality, and had bottled up aggressiveness.

The offence

Robledo Puch was convicted for eleven murders, one attempt, seventeen robberies, one violation, one attempt of violation, one sexual abuse, two kidnappings and two thefts. He was also described as having committed 11 homicides, 17 robberies, one rape and two abductions.

The account described him and Jorge Ibañez committing their first murder together in March 1971. They went into a “boite” in Olivos, killed the watchman and the manager after they stunned them in their sleep. That same year they killed two other men, and “toasted with whiskey on the body of the last.”

The account also described them abducting two young women on board of expensive cars, raping them, and Robledo Puch “blasted one after they had already released her half naked on Panamerican Highway.” It stated:

“He’s a pal”, said Puch about Ibañez.

The account then described Robledo Puch gunning down Jorge Ibañez and obtaining a new accomplice, his neighbour Hector Somoza. Together they committed other three murders. It described the fourth as getting complicated.

The account described Robledo Puch killing Somoza. It stated that he set Somoza on fire with a torch that they used to open safes. It stated that Somoza’s body was key for Robledo Puch’s capture the next day. The account stated he was only 20.

Investigation

The account stated that Somoza’s body was key for Robledo Puch’s capture the next day.

Arrest

Robledo Puch was recaptured after his 1973 escape from Unit 9 in La Plata and taken to Sierra Chica prison.

Trial

The account stated that Robledo Puch was sentenced to 29 years imprisonment for having committed 11 homicides, 17 robberies, one rape and two abductions.

Sentencing

Robledo Puch was sentenced to life imprisonment to be served in the high-security jail of Sierra Chica, near the city of Olavarria.

The account stated that Robledo Puch’s sentence included life imprisonment, and also described a sentence of 29 years imprisonment for the 11 homicides, 17 robberies, one rape and two abductions.

Appeals

In July 2000, Robledo Puch became eligible for parole; however, he did not submit a petition. On May 27, 2008, Puch asked to be paroled. A judge denied his petition, considering he was a threat to society.

On November 10, 2009, the Criminal Appeals Court of Buenos Aires denied Robledo Puch’s application. Division II rejected the application of complaint from Robledo Puch’s official defense. The judges found that, after 37 years in prison, the penalty was already exhausted. Judges Fernando Mancini, Jorge Celesia, and Carlos Mahiques agreed with the Cassation’s prosecutor, Alejandra Marcela Moretti, and decided that the issue was exhausted in the previous instance. The November 10, 2009 analysis described the rejection as confirming the denial of calls for freedom due to sentence exhaustion, unconstitutionality of Article 52 of the Criminal Code and probation.

The account stated that this was the third time in almost a year and a half that Justice refused to free Robledo Puch. It stated that the judges did not address the fundamental question of whether Robledo Puch was capable of being released.

The account stated that in May the previous year Robledo Puch called for his freedom from the Buenos Aires Prison Service (BPS), arguing that the terms of his sentence had already been realized.

Outcome

Robledo Puch was denied freedom again following the Criminal Appeals Court of Buenos Aires decision.

Aftermath

The account stated that Robledo Puch underwent psychiatric and psychological studies that yielded unfavorable results, including determinations regarding psychotic outbreaks since 2001, a wicked personality, and bottled up aggressiveness.

It stated that Robledo Puch remained in Sierra Chica prison in Hall 10 for homosexuals.