Bloody Suitcase Leads Police to Murdered Woman in Argentina

That discovery led investigators to a residential apartment on Bulevar Las Heras in the Cofico neighborhood, where 29-year-old Daniela Villalba was found dead, as reported by pagina12.com.ar.

The Discovery of Evidence in Córdoba

The investigation began early Tuesday morning on Oct. 20, 2026, when sanitation workers processed garbage and uncovered the bloody suitcase alongside personal items at the corner of Jujuy and La Rioja streets, according to cordoba.mitelefe.com. Police Judicial officers recovered the luggage, which contained a printed name that provided the first lead for authorities.

Later that same night, a friend of Villalba filed a missing person report after failing to reach her. When police matched the name from the missing person report to the name printed on the recovered suitcase, investigators intensified their search operations across the city, leading them directly to the apartment building at Bulevar Las Heras 200 in Cofico, as detailed by pagina12.com.ar.

Entry Into the Cofico Apartment

Upon arriving at the Cofico building, officers spoke with maintenance staff who stated they had not seen the tenant of apartment 1F since the previous day, eldoce.tv reported. The victim’s friend also told authorities that during their last conversation, Villalba mentioned she was feeling unwell.

Because building staff could not provide access, police officers used a neighbor’s balcony in apartment 1D to enter apartment 1F through a sliding glass door. Inside, they discovered Villalba’s body lying on a bed and covered with sheets, bearing slash wounds to her arms and a fatal neck wound, according to pagina12.com.ar. Investigators noted that the apartment showed no signs of disorder or forced entry.

The Judicial Investigation and Ongoing Search

The case is currently assigned to the Family Violence Prosecutor’s Office, which has ordered urgent measures to determine whether the death occurred in the context of gender violence. Forensic teams from the Judicial Police deployed to the scene to process evidence, lift latent traces, and review security camera footage from the surrounding area, cordoba.mitelefe.com reported.

Authorities have mounted an active search operation to locate the victim’s romantic partner, who remains a fugitive. Investigators have not yet established formal responsibilities or detailed the exact legal status of the suspect as judicial proceedings continue under a strict summary secrecy order.