The defense of Victoria Cantero, the 25-year-old woman detained for the murder of her boyfriend Matías Julián Álvarez Guardia in Resistencia, Chaco, has presented a new axis in its strategy: the accused would suffer from lacunar amnesia, a type of memory loss that affects a specific period or episode. Lawyer Celeste Segovia stated that her client cannot reconstruct the moment of the incident and that she may have experienced post-traumatic shock.
What the defense says about Victoria Cantero’s condition
According to Segovia, as reported to Diario Chaco, Cantero has «fragmented memories» of the incident that occurred on August 2 at a house on Donovan Street at 1400. «She remembers some things and not others,» said the lawyer, adding that she «doesn’t even remember the knife issue.» The defense maintains that this amnesia could be a consequence of «post-traumatic shock resulting from the episode Victoria and Julián suffered that day.»
The accused had confessed to the attack while hospitalized, according to the prosecution. Cantero has been detained since early August, after Álvarez Guardia, 29, died on August 4 at the Julio C. Perrando hospital, where he was admitted with a «serious stab wound to the right side of the chest.»
The hypothesis of gender violence and the couple’s relationship
The defense is not limited to the memory issue. Segovia anticipated that they are investigating whether Cantero could fit into «some type of battered woman syndrome.» In that sense, the lawyer stated: «We believe that we will be able to prove extraordinary mitigating circumstances due to the context of gender violence.»
This is not the first time this hypothesis has been mentioned. According to testimonies from both families, the relationship was «toxic.» The victim’s sisters said that he suffered constant physical aggression from the suspect. The defense seeks to reconstruct the dynamics prior to the incident to determine if there was a context of violence that could influence Cantero’s legal situation.
Documents and pending measures in the case
The case is in full investigation stage. The defense awaits the results of psychological and psychiatric evaluations, which should establish Cantero’s emotional state and determine if there was a concussion that explains the alleged amnesia. Also pending are the examinations of the cell phones of those involved.
According to Segovia’s estimate, the investigation could conclude between October and November of this year.
What the documents establish and what questions remain open
| Document/Source | What it establishes | What it does not establish | Open questions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defense statement (Celeste Segovia, via Diario Chaco) | That Cantero suffers from lacunar amnesia, with fragmented memories; that she does not remember the knife; that they are evaluating post-traumatic shock and battered woman syndrome; that they hope to prove mitigating circumstances due to gender violence. | It does not provide expert evidence confirming the amnesia or the context of violence; it does not detail the dynamics of the relationship beyond the families’ statements. | Will psychological evaluations confirm the amnesia? Was there a pattern of gender violence or was it mutual? What will the cell phone messages reveal? |
| Police report and prosecution (cited by La Nación and Crónica) | That Cantero confessed to the attack while in the hospital; that the victim was admitted with a stab wound to the chest and died on August 4. | It does not specify whether the confession was spontaneous or under pressure; it does not detail the exact circumstances of the argument. | Was the confession valid? What evidence supports the defense’s version? |
| Family testimonies (cited by La Nación) | That the relationship was «toxic» and that the victim suffered physical aggression from Cantero. | There are no prior documented complaints or expert reports confirming these aggressions. | Are there records of prior violence? What will witnesses say at trial? |
Value module: analysis of the defense strategy
The defense raises two lines: amnesia as a consequence of post-traumatic shock and a possible context of gender violence. To evaluate the coherence of this strategy, it is necessary to contrast the lawyer’s statements with the available elements.
- Document: Statements by Celeste Segovia to Diario Chaco (cited by La Nación and Crónica).
- Organization and date: Diario Chaco, no precise date in the material; the notes are from September 2, 2026.
- Unit: Direct quotes from the lawyer.
- Values used: «Fragmented memories,» «doesn’t even remember the knife issue,» «post-traumatic shock,» «battered woman syndrome.»
- Operation: Comparison between what the defense claims and what is recorded in the case (confession, wound, death). No numerical calculations are made because there is no quantitative data in the material.
The defense strategy is based on pending evaluations. Until the results of the psychological and psychiatric evaluations are known, amnesia and post-traumatic shock are hypotheses without expert confirmation. Regarding gender violence, there are no prior complaints or expert reports to support it, only family testimonies that, according to La Nación, indicate that the victim suffered aggression from the accused.
What to follow in the coming weeks
The central data to follow is the result of the psychological and psychiatric evaluations of Victoria Cantero, which will determine if there is a condition compatible with lacunar amnesia or post-traumatic shock. Also key will be the examinations of the cell phones, which could provide evidence about the couple’s dynamics and the context prior to the incident. The investigation, according to the defense, could conclude between October and November, so procedural definitions are expected in the coming months.
Fuentes consultadas
El Sereno contrastó las fuentes enlazadas y añadió contexto, comparación o análisis documental. Las fuentes primarias están identificadas. La nota no se presenta como investigación de campo ni como entrevista propia, salvo indicación expresa.
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