Paraguay sentences primary suspect in María Fernanda Benítez case to 8 years

A Paraguayan court has sentenced the primary suspect in the feminicide of María Fernanda Benítez to eight years in prison. The defendant, who was 17 at the time of the crime, received the maximum sentence allowed under the juvenile legislation in effect during the incident.

The suspect will remain at the Centro Educativo Sembrador de Villarrica until reaching age 20, after which he will be transferred to an adult penitentiary. The prosecution successfully presented 32 witnesses during the 11-day oral trial to establish responsibility for the murder and abortion.

This ruling concludes the legal proceedings against the adolescent, following previous convictions of several adults involved in the case. These included Mikhaela Rolón, sentenced to 10 years for instigating the feminicide, and the suspect's parents, who received four and a half years each for their roles in the aftermath of the crime.