13/07/2026 09:04 - Judiciales
San Francisco, Cordoba - Sunday, July 12, 2026
The euphoria over the historic advancement of the Argentine National Team to the semifinals of the 2026 World Cup after defeating Switzerland 3-1, was overshadowed in the early hours of Sunday, July 12, by a bloody incident in the city of San Francisco, located in the province of Cordoba.
Amidst the crowd occupying the city center, Matias Gerardo Ochonga, a 20-year-old young man, was attacked and received three gunshot wounds in the back at close range. The exact location of the attack was the intersection of Avenida Libertador Norte and Boulevard 25 de Mayo, according to judicial sources.
According to local media reports, Ochonga was originally from Frontera, Santa Fe, but resided in the San Cayetano neighborhood of San Francisco.
Investigators determined that the young man had been released on July 3, 2026 after being detained for robbery-related cases, and was on parole. Additionally, at the time of the crime, he had two active arrest warrants.
The crime occurred around 02:12 AM. The attacker took advantage of the chaos and the concentration of people celebrating to approach the victim, shoot him, and escape into the crowd. Fortunately, no other injuries were reported despite the large number of people in the area.
Due to the massive size of the celebration, an ambulance could not access the site, so police officers had to transport Ochonga in a patrol car to the Hospital J. B. Iturraspe, where doctors confirmed his death.
The main hypothesis of the San Francisco Prosecutor's Office points to a presumed settling of scores. A source linked to the case stated that they were waiting for him to get out of jail, suggesting that the attack was planned and the motive was not related to the football celebrations.
The Justice system identified the alleged perpetrator of the crime as A.A.G., 25 years old, known by the alias Manay. The young man was charged with aggravated homicide due to the use of a firearm and remains a fugitive.
The Police conducted raids in the Parque and La Florida neighborhoods in San Francisco, and in various homes in the Santa Fe town of Frontera. Although an item of interest to the case was seized, the suspect was not found.
Family and friends bid farewell to Ochonga on social media, demanding that the crime does not go unpunished. The case remains under summary secrecy while security cameras and testimonies are analyzed.
Sources: El Dia, El Litoral, TN.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
