Edenis Barrera Benavides, 32, was found dead by cyclists in the early hours of 19 March 2017 in Casanare, Colombia. Her body was found half naked at the side of a road and showed signs of stab wounds, torture and sexual abuse. She was the single mother of two children aged 16 and 10 years old. The last time she was seen alive was when she was leaving a first aid and social work course in the Civil Defense at 6 in the afternoon.

Edenis was a social leader of the municipality of Aguazul and she had also been a volunteer in the Civil Defense. She was passionate about bettering her community. After her death, activists and women’s rights defenders alike demanded that there be justice for Edenis and her family. Luckily the crime did not go unpunished.

Daymer Ipuz Medina, also known as “The Cat”, was arrested and charged with the murder of Edenis Barrera Benavides. It is believed that they were in a relationship at the time and had met in the Civil Defense. He was captured as a result of police work, the Casanare District Office of the Prosecutors and the National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences as they worked together to examine various pieces of evidence.