What we know about the femicide of Corrientes teacher Nancy Godoy

The brutal murder of rural teacher Nancy Godoy, 52, has sent shockwaves through Argentina. On Thursday, the judiciary revealed in the autopsy report that she suffered an “extremely violent death” in what investigators are investigating as a femicide.

Five suspects have been arrested, although the questions over the context of her murder remain open.

According to feminist organization Mumalá, there have been 239 femicides this year, including Godoy’s. This means that once every 30 hours a woman was murdered in a context of gender-based violence.

The Nancy Godoy case The teacher’s body was found on Wednesday after being missing for 21 days. On October 6, she made the long journey from her house in the Corrientes department of Esquina to El Malezal, a faraway rural area. 

Godoy worked there as a teacher and substitute principal at public Rural School No. 626, which is located inside a private ranch used for hunting tourism called El Curupí.

The last time she was heard of was on the night of October 7, when she sent a text message to her son. She said she had made the trip to the school safely.

Ranch El Curupí. Photo: Google Maps
In August, she had filed a complaint before education authorities saying the school was in extremely bad condition. Upon first arriving, she found it completely dirty, with no running water or functioning bathrooms. 

It was infested with rats and bats, a scene she described as “completely abandoned.” She also claimed that the previous teacher in charge only went there sporadically.

The school only had eight students. She had to clean the building with the help of the mother of one of the children.

Since the school was several hours away from her home — the trip included a one-and-a-half-hour horseback ride — she had to sleep there to fulfill her tasks throughout the week. This means it was normal for her to be away for several days. The area also has poor phone signal.

In her complaint to education authorities, she reported that she had to sleep at the house of a local woman called Rosa Leguizamón, who lives near the school.

Godoy’s sons only noticed something was wrong a week after last hearing from her, on October 14. They filed a police report, and a search for the woman began shortly after.

What did the autopsy say? Godoy’s body was found partially submerged in a wetland area inside a field on Wednesday, 2.5 kilometers away from the school, after a two-week search. Her phone and a bag that seemingly belonged to her were found nearby.

Investigators are looking into the possibility that the Godoy was sexually assaulted. The autopsy was unable to confirm the crime due to the time that had passed until the body was found.

According to the report, Godoy suffered mutilations and “multiple stab wounds,” while also exhibiting defense marks. Some wounds appear to be postmortem.

Who are the five suspects? Two days after the investigation began, police arrested Ernesto Bordón, a worker at Ranch El Curupí. He first said the woman had been killed, but later backtracked. He was charged with perjury.

Irineo Zarza, 34, a foreman at the El Curupí ranch, and Felipe Sandoval, 55, who also works as a foreman at the ranch, are the main accused. 

Police also arrested Rosa Leguizamón, the woman who often hosted Godoy and was among the last people claiming to see Godoy alive, as well as her partner Nahuel Rojas. The couple, along with Zarza and Sandoval, are accused of involvement in the murder.

Investigators found clothing that may have belonged to the teacher at Leguizamón and Rojas’ house, as well as other objects and burnt pieces of clothing near a shack close to the school where Zarza used to sleep, although it has not been confirmed whether they were hers.

Cover photo: Teachers protesting in Buenos Aires. Signs read: “Who is taking care of those who dedicate their lives to teaching?” and “We study to teach, not to fear. Justice for Nancy Godoy!” Credit: C5N.