The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar (El fotógrafo y el cartero: el crimen de Cabezas) is a true-crime documentary to come out on Netflix on May 19. The documentary, with a runtime of 106 minutes, depicts the brutality of the murder of Argentinian journalist José Luis Cabezas and the corruption during the time make up for a horrifying and difficult watch overall.
Who was José Luis Cabezas?
José Luis Cabezas, born in Wilde, Buenos Aires, on 28 November 1961, was an Argentinian journalist working for local newsmagazine Noticias. The magazine was well-known for its investigative journalism and Cabezas was a known face in the journalism realm, having worked extensively in different cases for the paper.
What happened to José Luis Cabezas?
Cabezas was kidnapped on January 25, 1997, by Alfredo Yabrán’s men. Yabrán was a well-known face in Argentinian politics and the businessman had close ties to the government. Yabrán had him murdered because Cabezas took a photo of him and his wife in Pinamar, an exclusive seaside resort visited by the biggest names in Argentina. The photo was made public in Noticias in March 1996, which exposed Yabrán’s face to the public.
After the kidnapping, Cabezas was subjected to extreme torture before being shot in the head twice. The perpetrators didn’t stop there and put him in a rented vehicle before setting the entire thing on fire. After the 35-year-old’s brutal murder, protests erupted in the streets of Argentina primarily by the media and people saw the assassination as a way of snuffing out independent journalism.
The terrible corruption and the depth of who the perpetrators were resulted in justice not being served for a long time. In 2000, eight members of the Los Horneros gang were imprisoned, along with several police officials. However, Yabrán remained free until a year after Cabezas’s death when he took his own life. Although justice was seemingly served, the locals do feel that Buenos Aires Province Governor Eduardo Duhalde was a part of a major cover-up, seemingly to save his back and those of others associated with the horrible tragedy.
The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar – Why You Should Watch It
Murder in Pinamar brings several interesting points of the Cabezas case to light and discusses the various facets and information that came to light while investigating the case. The documentary also does a splendid job at keeping the runtime tense and gripping, making watching this a very interesting ride. If you’re someone who is interested in true crime stories, this one will prove to be a worthwhile watch.
The Photographer: Murder in Piramar is streaming on Netflix.
Also Read: The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar Review: The Truth Behind José Luis Cabezas’s Death