More than two years after the crime, the Judicial Branch from the province of Chaco confirmed the official calendar for the jury trial in which they will be judged César Sena, Emenciano Sena, Marcela Acuña, and four others accused who will face charges for the femicide of Cecilia Strzyzowski.
The trial will begin on October 28 at 7 AM and will extend over 13 hearings until November 20.
The selection of popular jurors, coordinated by the Office of Trial by Jurors, will be a central step in the process, with the venue to be announced later.
César Sena is accused of double aggravated homicide, while his parents, Emenciano Sena and Marcela Acuña, will be judged as primary participants. The other four accused face charges of aggravated cover-up.
The preliminary hearings, which will define technical and procedural aspects, are scheduled for August 25 and 26, and will continue on September 2, 5, 9, 11, 15, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26. All sessions will be held from 8 AM to 4 PM.
The oral trial will take place on October 28, 29, 30, and November 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, 19, and 20, commencing at 7 AM each day.
The prosecution team is composed of Juan Martín Bogado (Camera No. 2), Nelia Yael Velázquez (Criminal Research No. 5), and Jorge Omar Cáceres Olivera (Research No. 4). The complaint includes Sergio Gustavo Brient (representing Cecilia’s mother, Gloria Romero), Sonia Valenzuela (Undersecretariat of Gender and Diversity), and lawyers Gabriela Judith Tomljenovic, Ricardo Ariel Osuna, Armando Nicolás Boniardi Cabra, Mónica Alejandra Sánchez, and Sofía Elena Puente. The defense will be led by Official Defender No. 12, María Celeste Ojeda.
The schedule was revealed shortly after César and Emenciano Sena were back in the news due to an incident involving a vehicle transporting them to a hearing, which collided with another car near the city of Resistencia. Fortunately, there were no injuries, and both accused continued to their judicial appointment.
According to reports from the police, the incident occurred around 7 AM at the intersection of National Route 11 and Avenida Ushuaia. The vehicle transporting the accused collided with a Fiat Cronos driven by a 58-year-old woman. Emergency responders attended the scene but reported no injuries.
Cecilia Strzyzowski was last seen on June 2, 2023, at 09:16 AM, as captured by a security camera entering her in-laws’ home with her partner. Prosecutors believe that the woman was murdered that same day, likely between 12:13 PM and 1:01 PM, with suspicions of strangulation.
According to the prosecutors’ investigation, César may have transported Cecilia’s body using a Toyota Hilux truck with the help of a family associate, Gustavo Obregón. They allegedly wrapped her in a blanket, burned the remains in a family-owned area known as “Chachería,” and subsequently disposed of the remains in various locations.
On January 2, 2024, the forensic institute in Córdoba confirmed that 16 dental remains, found in an advanced state of charring and calcination, matched the profile of “human elements from a single individual.” However, it remained unclear if these remains belonged to Cecilia.
A handwriting analysis revealed that Cecilia’s signature on the divorce agreement with César had been falsified. Cecilia’s mother took to social media to voice her suspicions: “The signature is false; they are not divorced. Perhaps that is why they killed her, either because she did not want to sign or perhaps because he learned something.”
As the jury trial approaches, the public is awaiting the outcome of this high-profile case that raises important questions about domestic violence and the justice system’s handling of such tragic incidents. The allegations surrounding Cecilia’s case reflect deeper societal issues, emphasizing the urgent need for reform and increased awareness of gender-based violence. The case serves as a grim reminder of the necessity for vigilance and robust legal interventions to protect vulnerable individuals from similar fates.