Femicide: Aguascalientes, MEX
Yovanna Yaneth Torres Briseño
The information on this page is a matter of public record.
The death of Yovanna Yaneth Torres Briseño (May of 2013) was originally investigated and / or forensically examined by personnel working at the direction of Agency No. 9 of the District Attorney’s Office, under Investigation number DGAP/AGS/07055/05-13.
It was officially determined that the death of Yovanna Yaneth Torres Briseño was a suicide. However, Yovanna Briseño’s family believed that these determinations were superficial, and based on incorrect, inadequate, or unreliable evidence and information. They explained these concerns to the authorities at every opportunity. In these efforts, they were either ignored or received no assistance.
Ultimately, with the help of The Aguascalientes Women's Institute (IAM), they took their case to The Public Ministry.
In March of 2017, Jaime Páez Díaz, First District Judge of Aguascalientes, ruled that the government’s investigative and forensic efforts in the death of Yovanna Yaneth Torres Briseño were negligent, and therefore both inaccurate and unreliable. Specifically, it was ruled that the government’s conclusions had been reached without sufficient investigation; that the government investigators and forensic experts failed to collect vital evidence; that the government investigators and forensic experts ignored available vital evidence; and that basic investigative and forensic protocols were not followed. This includes a failure to incorporate the UN’s Femicide Protocols (UN, 2014) and the necessary related gender perspective. The Court ordered that the case be returned to The Attorney General’s Office in Aguascalientes, for a complete, and competent, re-investigation and re-examination.
On February 13, 2019, Drs. Turvey and Coronado of The Forensic Criminology Institute were asked to conduct a preliminary assessment of this case at the Offices of the Attorney General in Aguascalientes. On that date, a meeting was held on site.
Subsequently, at the direct request of Jesús Figueroa Ortega (The Attorney General of Aguascalientes), the examiners agreed to conduct a formal forensic investigation and assessment of this case.
On April 16, 2019, examiners Turvey and Coronado were sworn in as forensic experts in forensic criminology, victimology, crime reconstruction and crime scene analysis by the prosecutors office in an official proceeding, and given legal authority to conduct a forensic investigation and examination on behalf of the The Attorney General.
Our report was delivered on August 5, 2019. One year later, these findings were made public at the request of the victims family. The case is still active and ongoing.
Lomeli, D. (2020) "Exigen que se califique muerte de mujer como feminicidio en lugar de suicidio en Aguascalientes" El Clarinete, February 27.
Cerbon, M. (2020) "Siete años y el suicidio que no fue," Pie de Página, May 27.
