Colombian serial killer ‘the beast’ found dead in prison

Luis Alfredo Garavito, infamously known as “The Beast” or “The Monster of Genova,” has died in prison at the age of 66. Garavito was Colombia’s deadliest serial killer, responsible for the horrifying abuse, torture, and murder of at least 170 boys between the ages of eight and 16. He passed away in a clinic while serving his sentence for these heinous crimes.

Garavito’s reign of terror saw him posing as various personas, including a traveling salesman, a monk, a disabled or homeless person, and even an aid worker to gain access to schools and find his victims. He would lead the boys to remote locations, enticing them with food and drink before assaulting them when they became weary. Shockingly, he meticulously documented his victims in a small notebook.

In October 1998, a groundbreaking criminal investigation began after the discovery of 36 murdered children in the town of Pereira, marking one of Colombia’s darkest chapters. Authorities eventually identified Garavito as the perpetrator. His crimes involved horrific acts of torture, mutilation, and throat-slitting.

In 2000, Garavito confessed to his crimes and was sentenced to a total of 835 years in prison, although the maximum sentence in Colombia is 40 years. In addition to his legal troubles in Colombia, he also confessed to crimes in Venezuela and Ecuador, resulting in a 22-year prison sentence in absentia.