LUIS ESTRADA'S THE DEAD GIRLS
BASED ON JORGE IBARGÜENGOITIA'S NOVEL
Write down the date, we'll look at the numbers later.
-Good evening. -Good evening. How can I help you?
-Can I have four campechanas? -Of course. Two pesos.
Here you go.
Good evening.
Here, I'll help you count it.
Let's see.
Do you remember me, Simón Corona?
How about now, motherfucker!
Mr Simón Corona, do you suspect that anyone or any group was behind the attack?
No, I have no doubt, Sir.
I'm absolutely certain after seeing her standing in front of me with a gun
that the only one responsible was Ms. Serafina Baladro.
"I request your collaboration
in the detention of Mrs. Serafina Baladro and her accomplices."
Truthfully, we all know that in this country
JANUARY 5, 1964
…justice is neither fast nor fair.
I don't know what is more surprising,
the red tape,
or its certainty.
2. POSSESSION OF ILLEGAL ARMS 3. COLLUSION - 6. DEFILING A CORPSE
JUDGE OF MEZCALA
MEZCALA JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
The order sent from Mezcala to arrest Miss Serafina Baladro
came and went for several weeks between different judicial agencies
of Mezcala and Plan de Abajo,
until it finally reached me. And I immediately executed the order.
POLICE INSPECTOR
THE POLICE SHOWS UP
JANUARY 13, 1964
How serious is Serafina's situation, Sir?
Quite serious, Captain.
That's why I wanted to let you know soon, so you can contact an attorney
and take appropriate action.
What is she accused of?
As is stated in the document,
there was a shooting and an attempted homicide
a few weeks ago in Salto de la Tuxpana, a small town in Mezcala.
Serafina is named as the responsible party for the attack.
Listen, I swear as an officer of the Mexican Army
and by the honor of my dear mother,
that Serafina doesn't know anyone in Salto de la Tuxpana.
She has never been to that town, and she probably doesn't know it exists.
I believe you, Captain, and I appreciate your candor,
but my obligation,
despite my friendship with the Baladro sisters,
is to follow this order and arrest Miss Serafina.
I understand, Sir. Thank you very much for letting me know.
Don't thank me, Bedoya.
Keep in mind that I will have to proceed eventually.
If I find her, I have to turn her in,
and tomorrow I plan to enter Casino del Danzón.
Say no more.
Have a nice day.
Thank you for your time, Captain.
Inspector Cueto seemed quite determined,
he probably let us know to give us some time.
Simón Corona accused you of the shooting.
The inspector will come tomorrow to arrest you.
See, Serafina?
You ruined us!
Out of selfishness, for seeking revenge!
Is it my fault that I was born passionate?
We have to get out of here as soon as possible.
Let's go to the United States, Arcángela.
And give up everything we have? No way!
Captain, tell Escalera that we're going to the ranch,
and that he must come alone!
Look for Rendón under every rock too. He must do something to help!
Yes, ma'am.
-Herminia, let's go! -Yes, ma'am.
Let's go!
Girls, pick everything up.
Everything in order, please.
Let's go.
Pack up everything, please.
Hurry up, girls, we still have several trips to go!
Let's go.
Ticho, hurry up, we have to go!
When you're done, fix the living room.
Then put some boxes to block the door and jump down from the roof.
Got it?
Yes, Miss Serafina.
Mrs. Benavides.
Mrs. Benavides!
I'm here, in the dining room!
Mrs. Benavides, we have to leave urgently.
Someone reported us and they're going to come inspect the Casino.
Holy Mother of God! I hope this won't get me in trouble, Miss.
No, don't worry, Mrs. Aurora.
If they ask you if you saw us, just say no.
What about this month's payout?
Right.
Here you go.
-I'll leave you some more just in case. -Oh, thank you.
But let me warn you, Mrs. Aurora.
You better not talk, because if I find out you snitched,
I'll find you.
Imagine, a woman my age,
who dedicated her entire life to God, our Lord,
to end up in jail.
Because that seven-year sentence, for helping the ladies,
will mean that I'll die in here, right?
Move it!
You're staying here tonight.
We'll figure something out for you tomorrow.
Don't do something stupid, because you'll get what's coming.
-Understood? -Yes, ma'am.
-You're in charge of them, Skeleton. -Of course, Boss.
Rosita, I think you have a fever.
I'll make you some tea for the flu tomorrow.
Thank you, Skeleton.
I'm very cold and I feel terrible.
Okay, girls, go out and relieve yourselves.
-Good morning. -Hey, Skeleton.
Oh, Ticho.
How was it, Skeleton?
How did the girls spend the night?
Did they give you trouble?
No, Boss, they were fine.
But Rosa has a cold and a fever, so I'm making her some tea.
Good girl.
A little bit more.
Drink a little more so you get better.
This will help you feel better.
Just a little bit.
I hope Bedoya finds Rendón and that the asshole shows up to help us.
Arcángela, let's go to the United States until things settle down.
-I don't want to end up in prison. -Calm down, Serafina!
Let's wait until Rendón can tell us how serious your situation is.
Bosses!
Skeleton! The girls say that Rosa is getting worse.
She's dead.
JANUARY 14, 1964
For many months, there was a rumor in Concepción de Ruiz
that the Baladro sisters and their girls were hiding in Casino del Danzón.
Despite going several times and made sure no one was there,
I decided to go back to tie all the loose ends.
DANZÓN CASINO
CLOSED
Okay, cut the chains.
How can this place still have light?
It's weird.
At first glance, there's no one here.
Let's inspect the place carefully, maybe we'll find some clues.
Inspector, don't you think it's strange that everything is clean and tidy?
That doesn't count as proof, Castro.
We came to arrest Mrs. Serafina.
You stay there.
Castro, come with me.
Nothing. Let's go.
Well, there's no one here, so there's nothing to do.
-Let's go. -The search could've ended there.
But in Concepción de Ruiz' records was a ranch
under the Baladro sister's name,
so I decided to look for them there.
-Good morning. -We were waiting for you, Cueto.
I'll give you 10,000 pesos if you say you didn't find Serafina.
Don't play dumb.
You've been on our payroll for years, and I know you love money.
Fine, Mrs. Arcángela.
Only because it's you.
Excuse us.
Unfortunately, on that first visit to the ranch,
I didn't find them.
That's how it was recorded in the investigation's report.
What do you think, Castro?
Ten thousand pesos.
Here's your cut.
We could have turned a blind eye for half the amount, Sir.
Do you know what I think, Castro?
That the Baladros are trying to cover up something more serious
than the accusations against Miss Serafina.
I agree, Inspector.
It was weird that they gave so much without us saying a word.
Just in case, tomorrow we'll go back to the Casino to do another inspection.
DANZÓN CASINO
CLOSED
Listen, everybody.
Check the rooms upstairs.
-Daniel, on that side. -Yes.
You, the bar, and be very thorough.
Leave no stone unturned.
Castro, come with me to the house.
Yes, Sir.
Oh, Mrs. Baladro, those daughters of yours.
Look, Inspector.
You can clearly see that people lived here until recently.
That doesn't matter, Castro.
Let's keep looking.
Castro, check the shed.
Yes, Sir.
Nothing, Sir. All good here.
It smells like dead dog here.
And the ground is loose here, Castro.
Officers, did you find anything?
Nothing, Sir.
Then go look for shovels and come here and dig.
Look, Sir.
Damn madams.
I knew those ladies were involved in something big.
We have to ask Pedrones for reinforcements.
Keep digging until the body is out.
Quick, men. We need to surround the property!
Group A, that way. Group B, this way.
Castro, come with me inside the house.
-Yes, Sir. -Be thorough!
God damn it.
Those fucking madams fled already.
Sir, looks like someone is in the barn.
There is someone calling for help.
Castro!
I'm glad you're here.
We've been in here two days without food.
Where are your bosses?
Where the hell did they go?
Last night I heard Mrs. Serafina telling Mrs. Arcángela
that they should take the Nogales train, then cross into the U.S.
Officers, call for backup.
Take these girls to the station and feed them something.
Let's go.
We can't let those fucking ladies get away.
PEDRONES TRAIN STATION
Quickly!
Be thorough!
You two, check that car.
Police. Stop the train!
Mmes. Baladro,
You're under arrest.
JANUARY 15, 1964
Those are the madams who hit us and locked us up.
Sons of bitches. Traitors!
Those are the damn ladies.
Ungrateful bitches.
Those are the murderous witches.
Ungrateful bitches, but you'll pay for everything, rats!
Fucking Cueto, damn it.
We could've fixed things another way.
Get in there.
I'm sorry, Mrs. Arcángela,
but we found a young woman buried at the ranch, and that's very serious.
From now on, you should be very careful of what you say.
Excuse me.
Arcángela, how will we get out of this?
Don't worry, Serafina.
This crap can be handled with money and influence.
Let's hope that fucking Rendón shows up soon.
Please hurry up, Juanita.
Make sure there's nothing left linking me to Mrs. Baladro.
I need to file an injunction in the city.
For Mrs. Arcángela and Mrs. Serafina, Sir?
No, Juanita, for us.
After being their lawyer for so long, there's a paper trail a mile long
and the cops will show up any minute now.
Looks like this has just started.
Who knows how many more dead girls will show up.
From the gruesome findings at Casino del Danzón
and the preliminary statements of some of the girls we rescued,
we figured out who were the madam's accomplices.
And I immediately proceeded to arrest them.
Captain Hermenegildo Bedoya
who was unaware that the Baladro sisters had been arrested,
was preparing to flee and to meet with them in Nogales.
BANK
Captain Bedoya, you're under arrest.
Inspector Cueto, I have over 20,000 pesos in the bank.
-They're yours if you let me go. -Too late, Captain.
I'm sorry.
Please come with me.
I'm innocent.
I was only following the captain's orders.
Quiet, Sergeant.
You can give your statement at the District Attorney's Office.
Do you think what it says is true?
No, of course not.
The Baladros are good people.
They could never do something like that.
Mr. Escalera, you're under arrest.
-Me? Why? -Castro.
-Come with us. -What am I accused of?
-No, I didn't do anything! -Keep going. Move it!
If my bosses are locked up, you'll have to lock me up with them.
Why don't you wait until they come for you? Until you get a subpoena?
-That's how things work here. -I didn't do anything, I told you!
I'm innocent!
I'm the ladies' bouncer!
If you don't put me in jail, I'll lock myself up, Sir.
The last ones to be apprehended were Eulalia Baladro and Teófilo Pinto.
The couple could have escaped
since there were no photographs or data that could lead us to their arrest.
But when they tried to take a bus to San Antonio, Texas,
they filled out a form with their real names.
They were identified and arrested.
Take them to their cells.
And so, in the Concepción de Ruiz prison,
where usually only a couple of drunkards were locked up,
there were for the first and only time in its history, 19 prisoners.
Listen up, everybody.
Specially you, squirts.
We'll make sure we're released as soon as possible.
But I'm warning you, if any of you bigmouths
says something you shouldn't, you're fucked, is that clear?
Yes, Boss.
Some of the girls we apprehended
stated that they knew more girls had died.
So we went back to the Los Angeles Ranch,
where, without much looking,
three more corpses appeared.
JUDGE PERALTA'S JUSTICE
Of all the cases I have worked in my career,
none was as famous and popular as the Baladro sisters'.
Despite everything that was said and written about them,
I never allowed it to affect my behavior,
I acted in a fair and impartial manner.
But I regret
that in perspective,
ALREADY 6 DEAD! AND MORE MISSING!
most people chose to believe the version the newspapers told
rather than the truth.
Mrs. Arcángela! Look what they're saying about you in the newspapers.
MADAMS AND MURDERERS
Sons of bitches.
Implying that we killed the girls…
Damn vultures! Those bastards don't know what to write anymore.
Therefore, it is clear from the girls' statements
that we have a complicated case on our hands, Sir.
The process will have to be carried out with great caution and discretion.
I agree, Sir.
The first thing will be to split up the detained girls.
Those who complained about mistreatment in their declaration,
we'll file them as victims and witnesses,
and those who didn't complain,
we'll treat as presumed guilty and accomplices of the Baladros.
Whatever you say, Sir.
Misses Herminia N.,
Guadalupe N.,
Gloria N.,
Luz María N.,
Jacinta N.,
Perla N.,
and Juvencia N.,
please come with me.
What about us, Sir?
Are we going to stay here?
According to your statements,
you're considered accomplices and presumed guilty.
What?
How?
Why?
Excuse me, Sir.
Do you know if Mr. Rendón turned up?
No, ma'am. No one has come.
From now on, you are going to sleep here, ladies.
From this moment on, you're no longer imprisoned or accused.
It's not a great place, but you're free.
You may come and go as you please.
Your only obligation
is to be present in the legal proceedings.
Understood?
Yes.
Are we still going to eat what we got in jail?
Honestly, it tastes terrible.
Don't worry, ladies.
We're going to take care of that too.
Make yourselves at home.
More dead bodies at the madams' ranch!
More dead bodies!
More dead bodies at the madams' ranch!
More dead bodies!
More dead bodies at the madams' ranch!
More dead bodies!
More dead bodies at the madams' ranch!
More dead bodies!
I understand, but I don't have more rooms available.
All right, then.
Good luck.
-Good afternoon. -Gentlemen.
Reporters from El Alarma.
We have a reservation in the newspaper's name.
Are you here for the Baladro's murders too?
That's right.
We're quite a bunch, right?
You have no idea. You're actually going to get my last rooms available.
The jails where they're keeping the madams, is it far from here?
No, not at all.
Concepción is very small. The court is just two blocks away.
-Let's go. -Yeah.
Please take our suitcases to our room.
Yes.
-Guard this one with your life. -Yes, Sir.
Ladies, everyone in Concepción de Ruiz
is moved by your story.
Please enjoy this meal that was prepared by the Ladies of the Perpetual Candle.
From now on,
on behalf of the Mayor's Office under my direction
you will lack for nothing.
Enjoy.
THEY WERE STARVING TO DEATH.
THEY ONLY ATE FIVE BEANS AND A TORTILLA A DAY
Listen, Officer, could you tell the lawyer who took our statements
that we want to talk to him?
What do you need?
To talk to him alone and tell him some things that we just remembered.
But there a lot of ears here.
Sure.
Go ahead, bitches.
Are you traitors going to tell a bunch of lies?
Ungrateful!
Have you forgotten how you came to us,
disgusting bitches? Filthy, lousy, and starving!
Add to the report that those here present
requested to amplify their statements,
and that they do so on their own free will and without having been coerced.
The ladies lied to me and my mom.
I was 15 years old. They paid my mom 200 pesos for me.
I was supposed to work as a maid in Pedrones,
but when I got to the house,
the ladies made me work…
as a prostitute.
Sorry.
How old did you say you were?
Fifteen.
No, wait. I was actually 13 when I got to the cabaret.
Please write down that I never received a payment for my work in the brothels.
I was 12 years old and they told my family that I would work in a match factory.
But when I got to the place, I realized it wasn't a factory, but a brothel.
The ladies kept me trapped since then.
I didn't receive payment for my work either.
I thought I was going to be a maid in Casa de Molino,
but when I got there, they forced me to sleep with men.
"You're going to be a whore and that's that," they said.
Anything else you want to add to your statement, Miss?
Yes, Sir.
I didn't get paid either, in all the years that I was with them.
Sir, please release these three girls
and take them with the others to their new room.
Please change their legal status so that from here on out
they are no longer presumed guilty
but victims and witnesses.
Yes, Sir.
THEY TRICKED THEM AND WHORED THEM
MEXICO CITY, MARCH 18, 1964
From what I found out, and the girls testimonies,
this case is not ending any time soon, Mr. Julio.
Most of them are minors who were tortured, locked up
and starved by the madams.
I'm still here, on the ground, reporting everything.
We'll talk tomorrow.
Don Julio is very happy, he congratulated us.
All we need is the Baladro's testimony and this is going to get good.
Cheers, Belisario.
We made it.
How do you explain the three bodies
found in the backyard at Casino del Danzón?
We don't know anything about that.
If they were there, someone planted them to hurt us.
How about the bodies
found on the Los Angeles Ranch? Another property of yours…
We don't know about that shit either!
Several of the girls who worked for you
complain that they were held prisoners, that you tortured and starved them.
Some even state
that you only gave them one tortilla and five beans a day.
-How do you respond to that? -Those are all lies.
We fed those ungrateful liars the same thing everyone eats,
and on some days we even gave them noodle soup.
Listen, ladies. We won't get anywhere like this.
You need to have a defense attorney present to advise you.
The charges against you are very serious,
but you don't seem to understand the seriousness of this case.
You are the one acting like a fool, Counselor.
Wait until our powerful friends hear what you're doing,
and you'll see who's right!
Take them back to their cell.
Damn murderers!
-Let go of me! -Don't touch me!
Finally, to wrap up the investigation,
we brought a prisoner from Mezcala Prison,
the baker, Simón Corona,
Whose testimony kick-started the initial investigation
of the Baladro sisters.
Hey! What's your name? Officer!
Officer, could you lock me somewhere else?
No, Sir.
This is the only prison in Concepción.
The orders from the judge and the DA were to lock you up along with the defendants.
What's up, Simón?
What a coincidence that we ended up back together.
We ended up here because of you, motherfucker?
Fuck you, Simón Corona!
Besides a thief, you ended up being a snitch, you son of a bitch!
Nice to meet you, Corona. I was looking forward to meeting you.
Miss Serafina has told me so much about you.
Serafina, Arcángela, I swear that I didn't say anything.
I don't even know why I'm here.
Oh, Simón.
I should have killed you when I could.
But don't worry, nothing will happen to you here.
Right, Captain?
Of course not.
The guys and I will take good care of you.
Hey!
Cut it out!
Please!
The Baladro trial cannot continue if they do not have an attorney.
And guess what?
You, as a public defender, have to represent them, Mr. Cespedes.
With all their money and contacts, can't they find someone else?
Initially, they demanded that Rendón represent them,
but he fled and hasn't been found.
And no one else wants to take the case.
Fine.
But you know as well as I do
that not even a miracle can save my clients.
That remains to be seen.
Remember, in this country, justice is blind.
Look, Counselor,
we neither want nor need anyone's help, much less from a stranger.
Ma'am, your situation is quite delicate,
without a lawyer on your side, it could get worse.
We're innocent!
What has been said is a lie.
Listen, ladies, whether you like it or not,
you have to show up to the hearings and depositions
and plead your innocence there.
And I can help you.
Why should we trust you?
Because it's my job and I have to do what I can for you.
-Do you believe we're innocent? -I'm not the one who's going to judge you.
But if you tell me the truth and cooperate with me,
I will try to do my best for you.
If you're going to be our lawyer, you better believe us.
If you get us out of here soon, we'll make you rich.
The charges against you are serious.
I need you to calm down and stop yelling at the judge.
That won't get you anywhere and it's making the situation worse.
Fine. We accept you as our lawyer.
Excuse me. I'm going to get to work.
The ladies kept us locked up.
JANUARY 28, 1964
One time, me and other three girls did something they didn't like,
they locked us in a room.
One day, Mrs. Serafina said to me, "Take this stick and hit them with it!
If you don't hit them hard enough, I'll hit you myself so you learn!"
And look how she left me, Sir.
Order!
They deducted our expenses from everything we earned.
They knew that I hadn't gone to school and didn't know math, I never saw a dime.
You're a liar and a snake, Aurora!
We always paid you every penny!
Sometimes we even bought you dresses and shoes!
Isn't it true?
Regarding the girls found buried on the grounds,
-do you have anything to say? -Yes, Sir.
I remember seeing Mrs. Arcángela and Ms. Serafina
push Feliza and Evelia from the Casino balcony.
The poor girls were left there, dead, their heads broken,
they buried them in the backyard.
Murderers.
Fucking bitch! Liar!
Those are all lies.
Arcángela!
They hardly ever fed us.
They would give us leftovers from the garbage,
while they had stew and with eggs.
You're an ungrateful liar, María del Carmen.
We always treated you all as if you were our daughters.
And that wasn't the worst.
Sometimes they kept us locked up for so long
that several colleagues got sick and died.
If you keep looking, you'll find more dead girls buried in their houses.
Order!
"The poor, innocent victims must have suffered an ordeal, hell on earth,
living in those ill reputed houses.
Only an exemplary punishment for the soulless madams
will do them justice."
Very good, Chucho.
I have some photos of the Baladros threatening the girls.
They'll fit your article perfectly.
Look.
Nice, right?
They're great.
Alarma newspaper!
HYENAS! THEY MOCK THE LAW!
The problem was that the readers were eager to know more,
VICTIMS REVEAL ATROCITIES
and that morbidity left the courts tainted.
Silence!
Order!
When we got to the Ranch, Rosa, one of us, got sick.
I saw how this lady approached her and said,
"I'm going to make you some tea." And then they forced her to drink it all.
A few hours later, Rosa died.
I think that lady, who is also a witch,
knew how to fix her tea, and killed her!
Guadalupe N.
I was there when Skeleton, after ironing Blanca,
gave her the soda that ended up killing her.
Do you want to add anything?
Whenever one of us got pregnant,
Mrs. Skeleton gave us some tea to get the babies out of us.
We never knew what sorcery she gave us
nor what happened to the poor kids.
Your Honor, I swear… I swear none of that is true.
ACCOMPLICE, WITCH AND VULTURE!
LIKE HELL ON EARTH TERRIBLE DESCRIPTIONS
Remember when you got the broom to scare off the vultures
and they just fluttered?
In all my years,
I've had to scare off vultures many times.
I don't know which one do you want me to remember, Miss.
When Ms. Serafina got desperate,
took out the gun, gave it to you and said, "Ticho, shoot them dead."
-Don't you remember? -No, I don't think I was there.
Isn't it true that one afternoon when you arrived,
Mrs. Arcángela told you to bury Feliza and Evelia
in the same spot where you buried Blanca?
No, maybe you dreamt that, Miss,
because it never happened.
Take him away.
"Eustiquio Natera, aka 'Ticho'…
THE BALADRO BROTHELS, DEATH CAMPS!
…or 'The Gravedigger,'
tried to fake ignorance of the facts,
full of evil, cruelty and resentment,
but with that grim face
he couldn't hide the truth from us.
And on his conscience there must be at least a dozen deaths…"
No.
"A hundred deaths."
Shut up, Teófilo!
Cut the bullshit!
On another occasion, she said,
"I'm leaving these four women here. Take care of them."
"And if you see them trying to escape,
use the rifle I left you to take care of the cows."
You're a bigmouth!
Stop making things up, asshole.
So when I fired that shotgun, Sir,
I was only following Mrs. Arcángela's orders.
Shut up, you son of a bitch!
My sisters-in-law are very rich.
They may have a lot of money, maybe millions.
But they never wanted to give us a single penny.
This would be a different story if they weren't so cheap and stingy.
You're a traitor and an asshole, Teófilo!
Take them away.
Hey!
Don't touch me!
The captain told the ladies how to punish us.
I saw him cut the sticks in the backyard
and tested them in his hand to see which one hit the hardest.
When he punished us, he used the one that hurt the most and bragged about it.
Sir, at that time, I considered that these women
had committed an act of insubordination.
It was necessary to punish them in an exemplary manner.
Are you satisfied with your actions, Captain?
Yes, Sir.
I have always believed that as a proud member of the Mexican Army,
it is part of my obligation to maintain order at all times.
"The soulless military officer, Captain Hermenegildo Bedoya,
was the muscle…
of the torture inflicted by the madams
upon their poor victims."
One day we were doing laundry and Captain Bedoya arrived.
Suddenly he stopped and clocked a lump that was on the floor.
He asked, "What is that?"
"It's Blanca," Ms. Serafina told him.
The captain shouted very angry,
"Tell Ticho to take Blanca tonight
to the edge of town and leave her in the dumpster for the dogs to eat!"
It was just a joke, Mr. Judge.
How could I say something like that seriously?
"The sinister officer
BEATEN AND TORTURED! WITHOUT MERCY!
was Serafina Baladro's lover."
BEDOYA DENIES THE FACTS
"Another note in the Little Black Book, this dreadful woman,
with so many lovers,
could rival
the black widow herself."
When the newspapers started mentioning
that the Baladro sisters had a lot of power
and influential friends in Plan de Abajo,
they reported that their conviction would be impossible.
My immediate response was to declare the seizure of their properties…
…in order to protect a compensation for the victims.
They want to take away our properties?
That's what they've wanted from the start! Those motherfuckers!
They're going to ruin us!
Arcángela!
-Officer! -No, please.
-Officer. -Sir.
Call a doctor! Mrs. Arcángela just fainted.
Isn't there anything we can do to stop it?
What is it?
-An ambulance. -A doctor!
Let her breathe!
Arcángela!
-Here he comes, here he comes! -Attorney!
What updates can you give us?
Let me ask you something a bit uncomfortable.
You're defending them, do you believe that the Baladro sisters are innocent?
Please, don't get me wrong.
I defend these ladies because it's my obligation,
since I'm a public defender and I was assigned this case.
But, obviously, I don't agree with them.
On the contrary, I think they both deserve the death penalty,
which, unfortunately, does not exist in Plan de Abajo.
Excuse me.
Counselor!
Please, Counselor.
DEATH PENALTY FOR THE BALADROS! PUBLIC DEMANDS IT!
Of course, coming from their own defense attorney,
it was an unfortunate statement.
There were more outbursts like that and a lot of pressure from everywhere,
including the capital.
Alarma! Witness statements are sinking the accursed sisters!
But by then, the case had already achieved international fame,
turning Concepción de Ruiz into a real circus.
HORROR IN MEXICAN SOCIETY
SHOCK IN MEXICO
At one point,
I counted over 119 people present in court
who didn't have to be there.
The girls were locked up and tortured!
Murderers!
Witches!
Killers!
Damn you!
Murderers!
You fucking bitches!
THEY WERE VICIOUS
Alarma! Alarma! "The depositions are uncovering the truth."
Get your Alarma newspaper!
But the trial had to continue. By procedure,
the events had to be reconstructed
with the victims and the defendants themselves.
-Damn madams! -Order!
Order, please!
If you please, ladies.
That's where Skeleton gave her the tea
and soon after she died of poison, right?
And there's where the two girls were killed.
We were running and then I heard the gunshots.
Mr. Teófilo was standing at the door
and Mrs. Eulalia came out to give him the shotgun.
Is it true what the girls say?
Should we check the shallow grave, your Honor?
Yes, Sir.
Damn you!
Murderers!
Is this where you buried them, Ticho?
Yes, Sir.
Who ordered you to do it?
My boss Serafina, Sir.
She said: "Bury them there so no one can see the grave from the road."
And are you sure you only buried three girls?
I swear, Sir, it was only those three,
in addition to the other three in the Casino that I buried.
If there have been others, I wouldn't know about that.
Girls, could you point to the grave, please?
Popular outrage,
manipulated somewhat by the newspapers that were kept exaggerating every day,
MORE DEAD BODIES
provoked so much fury than on more than one occasion
they tried to lynch the defendants.
Murderers!
The ladies pushed Evelia and Feliza off that balcony.
There's where the ladies tortured us several times.
Liars! Wretches!
Ungrateful liars!
Calm down, ladies.
Will you come with me? This way.
Come this way.
Sons of bitches.
One day, when the ladies were talking to Captain Bedoya,
we heard that their plan was to kill us all
and bury us here, in the backyard.
Right, girls?
-Yes. -Yes.
Tell us, Socorro. What do you want to add?
Well, one night,
Mrs. Arcángela, Ms. Serafina, and Captain Bedoya
tried to throw us off the roof.
-Right, girls? -Yes.
Let's move on to the next recreation.
Tell me, Captain,
was it in the Army that you learned this cruel and inhumane punishment
to subdue the girls?
No, Sir.
This one in particular was of my own inspiration.
But the lady always punished us by whipping us, Sir.
Mrs. Arcángela,
could you lift that stick, please?
THE PEOPLE DEMAND JUSTICE
LYNCH THE HYENAS!
Despite the media pressure
to find more dead bodies,
and though there were searches, nothing more was found.
But with the testimonies of the victims
and the reconstruction of events,
it was possible to indict the defendants,
to formally hold them
and proceed with their respective convictions.
You can't treat me like this, motherfuckers!
I'm Arcángela Baladro! I'm not guilty of anything!
Behave yourself, ma'am, please!
POLICE HEADQUARTERS
Next!
Hold the sign, please.
Right profile.
Left profile.
Next!
What a shame! My God, what a shame!
Calm down, ma'am, please.
Right profile.
Right!
Next!
Captain, can you take off your glasses, please?
Right profile.
Left profile.
Next!
Right profile.
Left profile.
Next.
Can you crouch, please?
More.
There.
Right profile.
Crouch!
Left profile.
Next!
MARCH 5, 1964
Derived from the investigation that was carried out
and the evidence presented by both parties,
I will now render the judgment before the defendants.
Please, I urge you to be in your best behavior.
Captain Hermenegildo Bedoya.
For criminal complicity
and for being the mastermind of the events detailed in your indictment,
you're sentenced to 25 years in prison.
Murderer!
"CAPTAIN BEDOYA" 25 YEARS
Juana Cornejo.
To the woman named Juana Cornejo,
also known as "Skeleton".
ten years for first-degree murder in the case of Miss Rosa N.,
four years for performing illegal abortions,
and another six for criminal negligence
in the case of Miss Blanca N.
JUANA CORNEJO "SKELETON" 20 YEARS.
Teófilo Pinto and Eulalia Baladro.
To Mr. Teófilo Pinto,
twenty years for two first-degree
premeditated murders.
For Eulalia Baladro, his wife and accomplice,
fifteen years for handing the shotgun
to her husband
in order for him to shoot the victims.
EULALIA BALADRO 15 YEARS.
TEÓFILO PINTO 20 YEARS.
Eustiquio Natera, known as "El Ticho" or "The Gravedigger."
Twelve years for violating burial laws
and for complicity in the body of crimes.
EUSTIQUIO NATERA "TICHO" 12 YEARS.
To the driver Fulgencio Pérez,
known as "El Escalera,"
six years for breach of traffic laws
and human trafficking across states.
FULGENCIO PÉREZ "EL ESCALERA" 6 YEARS.
Nicolás Pérez, aka "Brave Nicolás,"
six years for the crimes of attempted murder,
impersonating an officer, and abuse of authority.
"BRAVE NICOLÁS" 6 YEARS
Simón Corona.
To Simón Corona, known as "The Baker,"
six years for illicit burial
and criminal association.
SIMÓN CORONA "THE BAKER" 6 YEARS.
And finally, Serafina and Arcángela Baladro.
-Evil murderers! -Killers!
For the crimes of first-degree murders,
manslaughter,
unlawful deprivation of liberty,
physical and moral abuse,
illegal possession of firearms,
carrying of the aforementioned,
corruption of minors,
procuring,
privation of income to a third party,
intent,
occupation of seized property,
breach of burial laws,
breach of federal traffic laws and concealment of property,
this court finds both ladies, Ms. Serafina and Mrs. Arcángela Baladro,
guilty.
Silence!
Those are lies and defamation!
We're innocent!
You're a corrupt man, Peralta.
And all of you, sons of bitches!
Bastards!
Sons of bitches! Cowards!
We never killed anyone!
This is all an injustice, Your Honor!
We'd rather die than stand for this!
As a consequence, Serafina and Arcángela Baladro
are sentenced to 35 years in prison,
without the possibility of parole.
JUSTICE WAS MADE! THE HYENAS WILL DIE IN JAIL
THE GANG OF JACKALS CONDEMNED
Aurora Bautista!
Perla Pilar Cardona!
Guadalupe Enríquez!
Gloria López!
Luz María Méndez!
Socorro Montes!
María del Carmen Régules!
Jacinta Reyes!
Herminia Solórzano!
Ladies, it has been for me
and all the authorities of Concepción de Ruiz
and the state of Plan de Abajo
a privilege to do justice.
There was much talk that the great power and influence of the Baladro sisters
would make it impossible for them to receive an exemplary punishment.
But justice is blind
and Mexico abides by its law.
Proof of this is the just and deserved compensation
granted to you.
CONCEPCIÓN DE RUIZ GOVERNMENT AND THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
IN SUPPORT OF THE VICTIMS FOR A NEW LIFE
Long live Concepción de Ruiz!
Long live!
-Long live Plan de Abajo! -Long live!
-Long live Mexico! -Long live!
Long live Mexico!
Long live!
-Long live Mexico! -Long live!
Assemble the steel and the bridle
And may the Earth tremble to its core
To the resounding roar of the cannon
We thank our Lord for allowing
these innocent girls
to survive this tragic and painful experience.
May the Lord, Almighty and Eternal Father
offer them a better future,
away from faults and sin.
So be it.
Let us pray.
I believe in God, Father Almighty,
creator of heaven and Earth,
of all things visible and invisible.
I believe in our Lord Jesus Christ,
only Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
True God from true God.
Begotten, not created,
of the very nature of the Father,
through whom it was all made.
Who for us men
and for our salvation came down from heaven…
And I believe in the Holy Ghost the Lord,
and giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son,
And He is seated at the right hand of the Father,
is adored and glorified…
Honestly, I have to admit that we exaggerated the Baladro story.
Especially when we said they killed dozens and even hundreds of girls.
THEY WERE PROSTITUTES, GOD FORGAVE THEM!
But, at the time, we felt it was necessary
because thanks to our work, Mexico started to think
about more serious problems like child prostitution,
procuring,
human trafficking,
disappearance of women,
child abuse,
but above all,
corruption and complicity
by authorities on every level.
We don't intend to paint ourselves as saints
or to give ourselves pats on the back,
but I do think that our work
changed forever how journalism works in Mexico.
And ever since, all types of media,
including radio and television,
have tried to imitate us.
The case was so…
so huge and successful
that to keep satisfying our readers,
we looked for the main players years later to write an update.
However, what we discovered was so unattractive…
that we let it go.
EPILOGUES
Simón Corona fully recovered
from the stab that he received in prison.
JANUARY 17, 1976
The culprit was never found.
He served his sentence in the state prison of Mezcala,
he had a model behavior,
and after being set free, he returned to Salto de la Tuxpana,
where he opened a new bakery and lives happily.
Brave Nicolás was discharged from the army.
He learned the trade of shoemaker in prison
and now he has his own workshop.
Ticho, the Gravedigger, tried to go back to being a bouncer,
but he wasn't lucky. He is working as a loader in some warehouse.
He visits the Baladros whenever he can, for whom he feels fondly still.
Escalera returned to being a driver
and he now owns a fleet of cars in San Pedro de las Corrientes.
Rumor has it, that he funded it with money from the Baladros,
whom he still responds to.
To San Pedro, step on it.
TAXI SERVICE
Eulalia Baladro, after being released,
began to sell different traditional candies
outside Pajares Prison,
waiting until the day that her husband, Teófilo Pinto, gets out of jail.
Captain Hermenegildo Bedoya is in Pedrones Prison.
He is head of his section.
He is respected and feared by guards and prisoners.
Arcángela and Serafina Baladro are still in the women's prison…
A meal and a soda.
…where besides establishing several businesses,
they are moneylenders, and rumor has it, they run some inmate prostitution.
Allegedly, they have accumulated a huge fortune
of more than 100,000 pesos.
However, there isn't the slightest hope of the Baladros getting out of prison alive.
One meal.
But about the girls…
we looked everywhere, but we never found anything.
They went their own way and we lost track of them.
No one knows what happened to them.
All right. Come on in.
JUNE 15, 1960
How is it going, Ernestina?
Are you coming with me?
I'm not Ernestina.
And not Helda or Elena either.
I'm used to it though. I'm María.
So shall we go?
Right.
Thirty pesos.
Let's go.
SOME OF THE EVENTS NARRATED HERE ARE REAL.
ALL OF THE CHARACTERS ARE IMAGINED.
"THE DEAD GIRLS"
APPENDIX
IN THE PHOTO:
2. SKELETON
4. BLANCA (DIED ON JULY 17) (DIED ON JULY 17)
5. EVELIA (DIED ON SEPTEMBER 14)
6. FELIZA (IDEM)
7. ROSA (DIED ON JANUARY 15)
8. LUPE (DIDN'T FIT IN THE LATRINE)
9. AURORA BAUTISTA (WAS COMPENSATED)
10 AND 11. THE TWO WOMEN SHOT BY TEÓFILO PINTO
THE DEAD GIRLS
DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY AND GENIUS OF JORGE IBARGÜENGOITIA