Open case: controversy over the death of “La Veneno” five years later

On November 9 of 2016, Cristina Ortiz, popularly known as “La Veneno”, died at the Madrid Peace Hospital, in which she was admitted three days before emergency, with multiple bruises.

Trini is emphatic in stating that “our mother has been an abusive woman, and at present, if her mistreatment is repeated, she would be imprisoned for life imprisonment. She beat her children savagely. And not because I am a lesbian or my sissy brother, no, she abused us by system, to the beast. Today she still has a terrible temper. But as a daughter I forgive her. Just like Joselito did, whom my mother censored that she was engaged in prostitution. And I want to make one thing clear for those who criticize that my brother says and not my sister. Joselito never considered herself a woman, she used to say “I’m a fag”. I speak of him in masculine because I feel like it. I don’t have to explain to anyone. Look, they disparagingly called me a tortillera, they insulted me on the street because of my sexual condition, but I always had a genius and figure to get ahead”.

She acknowledges that «my family is divided, because my mother, if she never gave anything to Joselito, has to be her only heir. But I’m not going to fight for four euros».

She reveals that «my sister Mari Pepa, whom there are people who call crazy, is the one who has been in charge of paying the forensics, she is leaving her skin so that the truth is known. With my mother I keep my distance, better not to talk about it».

Trini has put clothes inherited from Cristina up for sale in order to raise funds for a statue with the image of “La Veneno” to be made. Her intention is to obtain the necessary permits so that it could be placed in Madrid’s Parque del Oeste, where Cristina was a prostitute.

“I have clothes from my brother Joselito, The poison for the others, and with the profits from their sale pay homage to him in the form of a bronze figure, because that plaque that was dedicated to him in the park neither has taste nor does it honor his merits as a person and as LGTBI collective icon.“

Whoever was last boyfriend of «La Veneno», the Romanian Alin Bogdan Kalin, whom some of Cristina’s relatives and followers accuse of being the alleged perpetrator of her death, according to Trini, “is about to be released from prison. I’d like to talk to that man face to face. That one knows more than the account about the death of my brother. A drug addict like Alin gets shut up with ‘na’.”

Trini resents that they ‘did a series on «The poison» without counting on our family, in which it is shown that they put us as the worst of the worst».

One of the scriptwriters of that production was Valeria Vegas, a biographer and close friend of Cristina, who is very clear when referring to Trini’s words:

“Let him say what he wants, I do not intend to enter into absurd debates. The only thing that woman wants is for you to answer her to go through the sets. I will not fall for their game, my option is discretion.”

Five years after the disappearance of her friend, Valeria wonders “who rushed to order that Cristina’s mortal remains be cremated? You cannot incinerate a body whose causes of death are not clear. Now, looking for answers is like trying to find a needle in a haystack. With the cremation, everything was ruined.”

Valeria Vegas, author of ‘I say! Neither whore nor saint. The memories of La Veneno.

It does not pronounce on the intention of making a bronze statue, but considers that «the plaque that was dedicated to Cristina is a claim for people to come to remember“ La Veneno ”. We go there with respect and affection, flowers, stuffed animals, messages are left».

Oscar Tarruella, a homicide expert and author of an expert report commissioned by the Ortiz family on the death of “La Veneno,” believes that “the case should be reopened. The National Police inspector who was on duty the day Cristina died sent a letter to the court explaining that gross negligence had been committed at all levels. But the prosecutor of the process did not give importance to the inspector’s statements. The attitude of this man is surprising, who does not even sign with his name, but with his initials, and who, for whatever reason, is not interested in reopening the case, despite the fact that some professionals are showing that it was a violent death that has not been investigated. In my opinion, we are dealing with a homicide, probably involuntary. In February 2021 the judge closed the case, but we are presenting new evidence, including a new letter from that police, to request the reopening of the case.”

Tarruella refers to the character who could clarify the situation: «Alin hides something, if he is not the main author of the death, he hides something. The day they entered «La Veneno», he was missing, hours later he got rid of the belongings that interested him and only collected what he considered appropriate».