Mexican Woman's 3,000-Mile Journey For Love Ends In Murder In Peru
Just two days after the woman's disappearance, her faceless head washed up on a beach in Huacho, Peru.
By Kay Ng — 29 Nov 2022, 06:44 PM
It was recently reported that a Mexican woman flew to Peru to meet a man she had gotten to know through an online game.
However, her 3,000-mile journey for love would meet a tragic end, as a fisherman would find her faceless head along the local shoreline months later.
51-year-old Blanca Arellano was looking for love online when she met Juan Pablo Jesus Villafuerte Pinto, 37, in the video game Fortnite.
Pinto was a medicine and biotechnology student at Faustino Sánchez Carrión National University, and after months of chatting online, their connection seemed like it was meant to be, so much so that the hopeful Mexican native decided to take a flight all the way to Peru to meet him.
She found herself in the capital of Lima in July, and the two allegedly hit it off. Blanca had told her family that she was "happy and calm" throughout the four months she spent in Lima with Pinto, stating that "their relationship was going very well".
However, 7 November would be the last time Blanca's family would ever hear from her
Fearing the worst, her family filed a missing person's report in Peru. Initially, there were no leads in sight. Their desperation prompted Blanca's niece Karla to tweet about her aunt's mysterious disappearance.
"I never thought I would be in this situation, but today, I'm asking for your support to spread this post and find one of the most loved and important people in my life. My aunt, Blanca Olivia Arellano Gutiérrez, disappeared on Monday, 7 November, in Peru. We fear for her life," the post read.
Desperate for answers, Karla decided to contact the one person who would know about her aunt's whereabouts.
"I reached out to Juan [Pinto] since he was the only one she knew in Peru, and that's where our fear started," Karla wrote on Twitter. She shared a screenshot of her conversation with Pinto, asking him if he could ask Blanca to return her family's calls.
"Is she okay?" she asked.
Pinto said he had stopped talking to Blanca several days back and claimed that, "She decided to leave because I couldn't offer the life she wanted, got bored of me, and left to find a plane ticket back to Mexico."
"I hope she is doing well, but my role here is over. I don't know anything else from here and, I'm saying this with sadness. I'm sure her phone is not working or she's out of battery. Take care, and I hope she gets back home safely," said Pinto. This would be his last exchange with Blanca's family.
Devastatingly, Karla's greatest fears were realised days later, when fishermen on the beach of Huacho made a grisly discovery: the faceless head of a woman
Hours later, the fishermen found an arm, all five fingerprints of which had been removed, as reported by Excelsior. A ring found on one of its fingers was confirmed by the family to belong to Blanca, suggesting that the remains were likely those of the victim.
The very next day, a torso that had its organs removed was discovered at the end of a canal that flowed into the sea. Police quickly ascertained that the canal passed directly in front of the university where Pinto was a student.
According to El Pais, forensic experts who worked on the case maintained that the removal of the person's organs and face were done with a scalpel and executed by someone with medical expertise.
Disturbingly, they also inferred that the culprit probably did not do it alone.
On 15 November, Peruvian authorities entered Pinto's home on suspicion of his involvement in Blanca's murder
There, forensic investigators used the chemical luminol to find traces of blood at the premises, which works by causing blood to fluoresce a pale blue colour upon contact.
They eventually discovered evidence of blood in the bathroom, the laundry room, on cleaning supplies, and even on the mattress.
Authorities also found women's clothing, hair, and a Mexican flag, which confirmed Pinto's relationship with Blanca, according to Paudal.
Pinto, 37, arrested on charges of femicide, organ trafficking, and human trafficking, in relation to the death of Mexican woman Blanca Arellano.
Image via Times Now NewsTwo days later, on 17 November, Pinto was arrested on charges of femicide, human trafficking, and organ trafficking, as tweeted by the Public Prosecutor's Office of Peru.
Pinto pled not guilty, and was sentenced to nine months of preventative detention on 23 November. Investigations are still ongoing.
Concurrently, DNA tests confirmed that the human remains that washed up on the beach were Blanca's.
"With our hearts and lives in pieces, we would like to confirm that our beloved aunt, Blanca Arellano, has been officially pronounced dead," Blanca's niece, Karla, tweeted in response to the news. "We ask for respect and discretion in these difficult times. We have no words to express what we are experiencing."
"My aunt was a kind, warm, light-filled, intelligent, dedicated, and loving person, and that is how she should be remembered."
