Just when the fito paez career had taken off and was on tour in Rio de Janeiro, a piece of news plunged him into the deepest depression: his grandmother and great-aunt had been murdered in Argentina. The author? Walter de Giusti, a former schoolmate of the Argentine singer.
But what led that boy, who knew and had shared a folder with the interpreter of “Circo Beat”, to end the lives of both women. In the following paragraphs we tell you everything that is known about the case. It should be noted that another pregnant person who worked in her house also died along with them.
A TRAGEDY THAT MARKED THE LIFE OF FITO PÁEZ
at noon on November 7, 1986, Walter De Giusti and his younger brother Carlos They knocked on the door of Fito Páez’s house. As soon as they entered, they pounced on their victims: Belia Delia Zulema Ramírez, 76, the singer-songwriter’s grandmother; Josefa Páez, 80, her great-aunt; and Fermina Godiy, 33, a housekeeper who was pregnant at the time.. The last two were stabbed, while the first was shot in the head.
The moment in which the triple murder took place, Rodolfo was on tour in Brazil, so they gave him the terrible news by phone. At that time he was 22 years old and he felt how his life was collapsing; and it was not for less, since a year before his father had died. As is recalled, after the death of his mother Margarita Zulema when he was only eight months old, he was raised by his mother, his grandmother Belia and his great-aunt Josefa.
“There was no longer any sense: they killed your family, that’s it”, said Fito Páez in an interview with journalist Julio Leiva. Thanks to his partner at the time, the singer Fabiana Cantilo, he managed to get back on his feet and released his fourth album “Ciudad de pobres corazónes” in June 1987; in it he reflects his feelings of anger, rage and impotence after these terrible events.
WALTER DE GIUSTI, THE MURDERER
Although the identity of the murderer could not be found at the time, several months later it was discovered who he was after being betrayed by a transvestite that she was wearing a necklace that belonged to the artist’s grandmothers.
The suspect said that the accessory was a gift from her “boyfriend walter”; the next day the police raided De Giusti’s house, where they found the recorder that Fito had given to his grandmother. After being found responsible for the murders, he confessed to killing them, but there was more.
WHO EXACTLY WAS WALTER DE GIUSTI?
Walter Alfredo De Giusti was the man who ended the life of Fito Páez’s grandmother and great-aunt, on November 7, 1986; Not only that, but he also killed their employee, who was pregnant. But before committing this triple crime, he also murdered two other people only a week before, on October 31.
Ángela Cristofanetti de Barroso, 86, and her adoptive daughter Noemí, 31, were his other victims, whom he killed – with the complicity of his younger brother Carlos Manuel – beating and stabbing after entering his home posing as plumbers. Walter was 23 years old and his brother was 18.
Who is it? Walter de Giusti was born in 1962 in Rosario. He studied at the Dante Alighieri High School, where he met Fito Páez. Like the interpreter of “A rodar mi vida”, he also liked music, which is why he belonged to a heavy metal group, although he was not very successful. He dedicated himself to plumbing for several years.
However, when he had already committed the five murders, on December 4, 1986, he entered as a police officer to the Subcommissariat of Pueblo Esther. No one suspected that one of their new members was a criminal until he was ratted out by a transvestite.
SENTENCE OF WALTER DE GIUSTI
After confessing everything De Giusti was sentenced to life in prison on August 24, 1987.; meanwhile, his brother Carlos was released on probation. Because he belonged to the Police, Walter went to mandatory retirement from the force, something that was highly questioned, since he should have been directly exonerated. Due to this, he was able to continue collecting 70% of his salary for six more years; that is, until November 1993.
Nearly nine years after his conviction, in May 1996, his defense requested that his sentence be reduced to 25 years; in August 1997, everything was reduced to 24 years and seven months. But having contracted HIV in prison, his lawyer requested house arrestto this was added the argument that De Giusti was losing his vision, for which they agreed to his demand.
In 1998, they discover that Walter was in perfect condition.: He drove a car, went out into the street normally and went to bars, so he had to go back to jail immediately. On June 3 of that same year, he was returned to prison, but five days later he became ill and was taken to the hospital. He ceased to exist on June 12 because of HIV.
WHY DID YOU KILL FITO PÁEZ’S GRANDMOTHER AND AUNT?
The exact reasons why Walter De Giusti ended the life of Fito Páez’s grandmother and great-aunt are not known. Only that he accepted having committed the three crimes, like the other two women.