Luis Alfredo Garavito, Colombia’s notorious serial killer dies in prison

Luis Alfredo Garavito, infamously recognized as Colombia’s deadliest serial killer and one of the world’s most notorious, passed away on Thursday while serving a prison sentence for heinous acts of abuse, torture, and the murder of a minimum of 170 boys aged between eight to 16, as confirmed by the country’s prison authority.

Known by grim monikers such as “The Beast” and “The Monster of Genova,” derived from his hometown, Garavito’s demise occurred at the age of 66 within a clinic, succumbing to “multiple conditions,” as stated by the INPEC penitentiary authority.

Garavito had been incarcerated since 1999, with a history of posing as various personas including a traveling salesman, a monk, a disabled or homeless individual, and even an aid worker to gain access to schools and locate his victims, according to investigators during that period.

The horrifying acts took place after Garavito enticed the boys to isolated locations by promising food and drink, subsequently assaulting them when they grew weary from walking. Disturbingly, he meticulously documented his victims in a small notebook.

A landmark criminal investigation in Colombian history commenced in October 1998 when authorities, following the discovery of 36 murdered children in Pereira, realized they were dealing with a serial killer.

A year later, they identified Garavito as the perpetrator. Prosecutors disclosed the ghastly details of his modus operandi, which involved torturing and mutilating his victims before ultimately slitting their throats.

Garavito confessed to his atrocious crimes and received a sentencing of 835 years in prison in the year 2000—exceeding the maximum 40-year imprisonment allowable in Colombia. Over time, he was diagnosed with cancer in the eye and leukemia.

Furthermore, Garavito admitted to similar crimes in Venezuela and Ecuador, leading to a 22-year prison sentence in absentia in the latter country.

(Source: Adapted from AFP)