Carmel: ¿Quién mató a María Marta?

In October 2002 María Marta García Belsunce was found dead in the bathroom of her house in an exclusive gated community outside Buenos Aires. Her husband reported that she was injured; he assumed she'd banged her head on a beam and fallen into the bath. This theory was initially accepted by the authorities but due to certain irregularities further checks are made on her body... it is soon found that what happened could not have been an accident; it is a clear case of murder. The alibis of many of those close to her are shaky or clearly untrue and the destruction of evidence could be considered suspicious... or just people cleaning up after what they think was a tragic accident. Prosecutor Diego Molina Pico determines to find the truth and bring the guilty to justice.

Not being Argentinian I'd never heard of this case; indeed when I started watching I thought I was about to see a crime drama rather than a documentary! Early on I was unsure the case could possibly justify four episodes but once we learn the truth of how Maria Marta dies it becomes gripping. All those involved give their sides of the story. They sound plausible and my opinion as to who did what changed more than once. The resolution might not be as definite as one might want but a documentary can't be expected to provide answers to questions when the truth has yet to emerge. Overall an interesting documentary.

These comments are based on watching the series in Spanish with English subtitles.

Of people who participated in filming, is very interesting, all of the family has very restless movements. Such things say more than words. The widower himself first makes a statement that he never did anything illegal... And that adds something in lines like he did it, but was never caught. It's not a funny thing to say considering that he was a suspect for killing his wife. Also, he insisted on not being in clubhouse, even though that would be alibi for him, but then, Maria Martha's sister and her husband would lose theirs, being that maid of theirs said everyone was gone by 6pm and she cleaned up the table in living room. That would put them easily on the scene in the murder time-line. As for the motive... Who knows, it could have been anything, people are very versatile in that department, especially when rich and bored. This cover-up they made was a crime on its own, I can't imagine being in a mindset like them to think that everything will magically disappear because they destroyed the scene and because they feel that in their rich little community, anyone and anything can be bought. Like already said in the documetary:"If there is no justice let there at least be truth."

The Taylor woman was accused by Maria's friend in court implicating the husband in a cover up yet acted like a drama queen at the trial denying it and criticizing the old friend as fame hungry --a totally ridiculous performance. The Taylor woman drove miles on the night of the murder to get the fake death certificate. The Taylor woman was accused of having ties to Mexican drug cartels. Why was none of this investigated?

There is no evidence for motive by Maria's husband.

What about the missing money from the charity? Interrupted burglary is the most obvious motive.

Other than that, the documentary director should have kept the interviews close up-- the full shots of those big men "man-spreading" their legs was distracting as hell.

This documentary is not a waste of time at all, it is very well done and quite detailed. The cover-up story smells pretty bad, but I still have doubts.

Is it possible to make so many mistakes in a moment of extreme panic? Doubts doubts doubts... In short, if you like documentaries about crimes in real life, don't miss it. Entertaining and very well done.

A deep ploughng , sincere, and bipartisan presentation of a case that ive never heard about here in norway. i do though have my doupts on the judicial system of argentina, mostly based on the unstable political and economical hardships, and deadserious coupd'etates, that made the word ''junta'' a common word for evil/bad , a relay of which branch of the military that wanted to rule. so how trustworthy things and coverage where back then at the start of the decennium...i have my doupts.

but this product is among the upper part of the ducumantaries' super liga, it entertained the grumpy old man, and had me filled with uncertainty till the end, just like fiction but from real life. recommended