The Temuco Guarantee Court has ordered pre-trial detention for Emanuel Ochoa, the suspect accused of the femicide of veterinary student Francisca Millahual. The ruling followed a hearing in which prosecutors presented evidence linking the man to the death of the young woman, who was found dead on April 6.
The victim was found in her home while her grandmother was away on a trip. Upon returning to the residence, the grandmother discovered the student's body wrapped in blankets inside the house.
Conflicting accounts
During the hearing, the defendant told prosecutors that the death was accidental. According to his statement, the murder weapon belonged to the student herself and that she "had taken the weapon and had been playing with it and shot herself."
However, prosecutor Patricio Montecinos rejected this version of events. The prosecutor noted that the evidence found at the scene does not align with an accidental death, highlighting the presence of defensive wounds on the victim's body.
The prosecution also cited the defendant's behavior to support the detention order. Montecinos pointed out that Ochoa's actions—fleeing for six days and then leaving the city without notice—demonstrate an intent to evade criminal prosecution.
“In the Public Prosecutor's view, all of these circumstances point to an individual attempting to evade the criminal responsibility they face,” the prosecutor stated during the hearing.
Meanwhile, Ochoa's defense, represented by Public Defense attorney Patricio Salinas, argued that his client had cooperated with the investigation from the beginning. Salinas requested that the court allow for additional investigative steps to clarify the facts.
Despite the defense's arguments, the court upheld the prosecution's request. In addition to ordering pre-trial detention, the judge set a six-month deadline to conclude the investigation.