Netflix has a new true crime gem: The Many Deaths of Nora Dalmasso
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of true crime documentaries is being able to follow the search for the perpetrator. The puzzle that is pieced together step by step. Secretly, you hope as an armchair detective to discover a detail that the creators and even the police have missed; that rarely happens, but the tension is worth the try. This is certainly the case with Netflix's latest addition: ‘The Many Deaths of Nora Dalmasso’. A shocking murder case that leads to a rather complicated investigation; and that does affect you as a viewer.
The murder of Nora Dalmasso
The residential area Villa Golf in the Argentine city of Río Cuarto was known for its prosperity. It was a place for the elite, where crime played no role. But that changed on November 26, 2006. The 51-year-old Nora Dalmasso is found dead in her daughter's room; she has been strangled with the cord of her bathrobe. The case immediately attracts a lot of attention, Nora and her husband, doctor Marcelo Macarrón, were known as a wealthy and influential couple. In no time, the house is filled with journalists, neighbors, and family. Something that only complicates the investigation later. A robbery is quickly ruled out; there are no signs of a break-in and no valuable items are missing. The police assume that the murderer is someone known to the family; or at least someone with access to the house. Initial investigations also reveal that Nora had murder had sex, although it is not entirely clear whether this was consensual or not. Outside of these initial clues, the police are still in the dark, but the pressure from outside is enormous. Meanwhile, the Macarrón family remains silent, and the media does not let up for a moment.
How political pressure influenced the murder case surrounding Nora Dalmasso
2007 is an election year in Argentina, and the Nora Dalmasso case is an important topic. Politicians want to show that they take the investigation seriously and that they are making progress. The pressure to identify a suspect is enormous; and that has serious consequences. A few months after the murder, 27-year-old Gastón Zárate is arrested. He is a painter and also worked in the Dalmasso Macarrón family home; he was reported to the police by a friend. The arrest without any real clear evidence leads to massive protests. Neighbors take to the streets en masse demanding Zárate's release. And it works, the painter is released and it later turns out that his friend was forced to accuse him. The prosecutors are left empty-handed and desperately search for a new suspect. This is the moment when the case really spirals out of control.
The moment everything changed in the case of Nora Dalmasso
After new DNA research, the officers draw an important conclusion: traces of one of the men from the Macarrón family have been found at the crime scene. And soon all eyes are on Facundo, the son of Nora and Marcelo. Journalists discover that the boy is homosexual, something that is not really appreciated in his circles. Facundo allegedly had an argument with his mother about this, after which he supposedly murdered her. The accusations are a huge blow to the family and only increase the media pressure. When the son is acquitted after six years, it does not mean that the family finally finds peace. The prosecutors now turn their sights on father Marcelo. He allegedly discovered that Nora had multiple affairs and took revenge. For this, he is said to have hired a hitman. He too is completely dragged through the mud by the media. A draining trial follows, which, due to a lack of evidence, ends in acquittal. A huge relief for the family, but without a perpetrator, they still cannot close the case.
Is this finally the breakthrough?
Due to the messy investigation and multiple false accusations, it seemed for a long time that the case would never be solved. Until in December 2024, more than 18 years after the murder, suddenly a breakthrough seems to have occurred. The cord of the bathrobe with which Nora was murdered is re-examined for DNA traces; and that brings the police to a new suspect: Roberto Barzola. He also worked on the renovation of the family home. But despite the clear evidence, the case is still not solved. Because so many years have passed, the murder is now time-barred and Barzola can no longer be prosecuted; not even if he turns out to be the actual perpetrator. The prosecutors are still trying to find ways to start a new trial; until then, the family family will have to make do with a nearly solved case.
The further the investigation progresses, the more complicated it becomes and the more the family's despair grows; and then it is more than palpable as a viewer. That is precisely what makes this a must-see for crime lovers. ‘The Many Deaths of Nora Dalmasso’ is now available on Netflix.
Image: Netflix
