Yiya Murano

Case record: Yiya Murano

Yiya Murano (born May 20, 1930) was an Argentine murderer and swindler, known as “the poisoner of Montserrat.”

She was convicted of three murders and served a prison term of sixteen years.

Background

She presented herself as a cultured and wealthy person, despite lacking education and having many financial problems. She spent money she did not have to buy jewelry and imported clothes.

Her husband had died. Her son wrote a book defaming her.

She had a short relationship with ex president Arturo Frondizi. “Too short,” she said.

Argentinian author Marisa Grinstein included her in her book “Deathly Women”. Her case was named “Yiya Murano, friend”. In 2006, Canal 13’s “Deathly Women” show recreated scenes from her case in an episode. At the end of the episode, the real Yiya Murano was shown adding a comment about it and defending her supposed innocence. In the second season of Mexican adaptation, there was an episode recreating the case called “Tita Garza, Fraudster”. In her last years, she lived in the port suburb La Boca and currently lived in a geriatric residence. She sometimes talked for interviews for television when special programs commemorated her case.

The offence

In March 24, 1979, Carmen Zulema del Giorgio de Venturini, Murano’s cousin, suffered a fall and died in the stairs of a building in Hipólito Yrigoyen street where she lived. Doctors diagnosed her death as a heart attack.

Zulema’s daughter, Diana María Venturini, noticed that between her mother’s belongings a promissory note for 20 million pesos was missing. The building’s doorman said that while Mrs. Venturini was dying inside the building, Mrs. Murano entered the house to visit her, carrying a mysterious package. The doorman said Murano asked for some copy of her cousin’s apartment keys “in the most natural way,” and that she excused the meddling by saying, “I need her notebook to call her family”.

The doorman said Murano entered the house and then came out quickly with some papers and a small bottle. The doorman said Murano grumbled out loud: “Oh my God, this is the third friend of mine dying in a short time.”

After a second autopsy, cyanide was found in the corpse. Investigators linked the poison with the supposed small bottle mentioned by the attendant.

So it was known that Nilda Gamba, a neighbor of Yiya, had died in February 10, 1979. A few days later, a heart attack killed Lelia Formisano de Ayala, another friend of Yiya. Murano owed them money, and both corpses showed signs of cyanide poisoning.

The poison was camouflaged inside the corn flour petite fours cookies, described as very common in Argentina.

Investigation

Investigators found cyanide in the corpse of Carmen Zulema del Giorgio de Venturini after an additional autopsy and linked poison with the supposed small bottle mentioned by the building doorman. Investigators also associated earlier deaths of Nilda Gamba (February 10, 1979) and Lelia Formisano de Ayala (killed “a few days later”) with cyanide poisoning. The poison was camouflaged inside corn flour petite fours cookies.

Arrest and detention

In April 1979, police arrested Mrs. Murano at her home in México street.

In 1980, she was found unconscious in the penal where she was detained. After that, she had a lung removed.

Trial

In June 1982, judge Ángel Mercado absolved her from all charges and set her free.

In 1985, during the middle of the trial against generals of the Military’s Junta that governed the country from 1976 to 1982, Yiya was almost forgotten until she was convicted. She insisted on her innocence, saying: “I never invited anybody to eat.”

Were her words.

Sentencing

Her sentence was reduced, and thanks to the famous “two by one” law, she was released from prison after 16 years. Her sentenced was reduced and thanks to the famous “two by one” law, she was released from prison after 16 years.

She was sentenced to life in prison on June 28, 1985.

Appeals

The judges who interceded in her early release had received a box of chocolate as a sign of gratitude.

Outcome

She was released on November 20, 1995.

Aftermath and later allegations

In 1998, she declared herself innocent in front of a great audience in Mirtha Legrand tv show.

In 2008, a new complaint was reported against Yiya by her stepdaughter, who said that her stepmother had tried to poison her by putting poison in a pasta’s plate. This was not proven.

During the same year, she was invited to Mirtha Legrand’s show to have some lunch. The invitation had major repercussion since Yiya gave, “in camera,” a tray with small cakes. After doubting for the entire show, Mirtha finally ate one and nothing happened to her. The situation was carried with a lot of humor, though she again insisted in her innocence.