Nurse convicted of stealing morphine from Hospital Zonal

A mixed tribunal has unanimously found Marcelo Gustavo Villarruel, a 54-year-old nurse at Hospital Zonal, guilty of aggravated theft. The court determined that Villarruel stole a total of seven morphine ampoules from the facility's security box between late 2024 and early 2025.

The theft occurred in two separate incidents: five ampoules were missing on December 26, 2024, and two more on January 5, 2025. The investigation was led by prosecutors Fidel González and Ezequiel Forti.

Key evidence included security camera footage showing Villarruel opening the security box in the early morning hours while using his back to shield the maneuver from view. The court also established that the defendant accessed keys taken from the personal belongings of doctors within the nursing area. Additional evidence included forensic reports and a photo of a morphine ampoule found on the defendant's mobile phone.