solved
Serial killer
January 25, 2006
Perpetrator
Juana Barraza Samperio
Juana Barraza was a Mexican former professional wrestler who competed under the name 'La Dama del Silencio' (The Lady of Silence). She targeted elderly women living alone, gaining entry by posing as a social worker, nurse, or offering help, then strangling them, often with a stethoscope or cloth, and robbing their homes. Investigators long believed the killer might be a man dressed as a woman due to witness descriptions. She was arrested in January 2006 fleeing a victim's home.
Known Victims
At least 11 total — known victims include:
- Ana María de los Reyes Alfaro (82)
Location
Mexico City, Mexico
Summary
Juana Barraza, a former pro wrestler dubbed La Mataviejitas, strangled elderly women alone in Mexico City; she was caught in 2006 and convicted of multiple murders.
Details
Between roughly 2002 and 2006, dozens of elderly women were found strangled in their homes across Mexico City, prompting a high-profile manhunt for a killer dubbed 'La Mataviejitas.' Juana Barraza, a former lucha libre wrestler, gained entry to victims' homes by posing as a nurse or social worker before strangling them, often with a stethoscope, and stealing valuables. She was arrested on 25 January 2006 after fleeing the home of 82-year-old Ana María de los Reyes Alfaro. In 2008 she was convicted on multiple counts of murder and aggravated burglary and sentenced to 759 years in prison.
Overview
Juana Barraza Samperio, known by the nickname "La Mataviejitas" ("The Old Lady Killer"), is a Mexican former professional wrestler and convicted serial killer responsible for a string of murders of elderly women in Mexico City during the late 1990s and early 2000s. She was arrested in January 2006 and became one of the most notorious criminals in modern Mexican history. The case drew intense public and media attention, in part because investigators had initially struggled to identify a suspect and because the eventual perpetrator defied the common profile of a male serial killer.
Barraza targeted older women living alone, typically gaining entry to their homes by posing as a nurse, social worker, or government employee offering assistance. Once inside, she strangled her victims. The crimes spanned several years before her capture, and the official tally and circumstances of some cases have been the subject of debate among investigators, journalists, and Barraza herself.
Background
Juana Barraza was born on December 27, 1957, in Epazoyucan, in the Mexican state of Hidalgo. She described a difficult childhood marked by poverty and abuse, and she later spoke about a troubled relationship with her mother. These early hardships have frequently been cited in discussions of her later crimes, though such accounts come largely from her own statements.
As an adult, Barraza pursued a career in lucha libre, Mexico's celebrated style of professional wrestling. She competed under the ring name "La Dama del Silencio" ("The Lady of Silence"), a persona associated with the masked traditions of the sport. Her physical strength and wrestling background were later noted by commentators in connection with the manner of the killings, which involved manual strangulation or ligature.
The Crimes
The murders attributed to La Mataviejitas followed a consistent pattern. The victims were elderly women, often living alone, and many were strangled in their own homes. In a number of cases, the killer reportedly gained access by pretending to be a nurse, a social worker, or a representative of a government program, sometimes offering to help with paperwork, pensions, or household tasks. After killing the victims, the perpetrator in some instances took small items from the homes.
Mexico City authorities became aware of a possible serial killer as the number of similar deaths of elderly women mounted. The investigation was complicated and at times controversial: early profiling efforts suggested the killer might be a man, possibly someone who dressed as a woman, and police questioned numerous individuals. Witness descriptions and forensic evidence, including fingerprints recovered from crime scenes, eventually became central to identifying the culprit.
Estimates of the total number of victims have varied widely in public reporting. Authorities linked Barraza to numerous deaths, and figures cited in the press ranged from around a dozen to as many as 40 or more. Barraza herself acknowledged responsibility for only a limited number of killings, and the precise count remains disputed.
Arrest and Conviction
Juana Barraza was arrested on January 25, 2006, after she was caught fleeing the scene of the murder of an elderly woman in Mexico City. The victim, an older woman in whose home Barraza had been present, was found strangled, and Barraza was apprehended nearby. Her capture allowed investigators to connect her, through fingerprint and other evidence, to additional unsolved cases.
Following her arrest, Barraza was paraded before the media, and her image and wrestling background turned the case into a national sensation. Investigators compared fingerprints and other evidence collected from prior crime scenes to build the case against her. She was charged in connection with multiple murders of elderly women.
In 2008, a court in Mexico City convicted Juana Barraza on multiple counts related to the killings, including murder and aggravated burglary. She was sentenced to a lengthy prison term, widely reported as 759 years, reflecting the cumulative sentences for the offenses of which she was found guilty under Mexican sentencing practices, though such terms are served subject to legal limits on actual time served.
Aftermath and Legacy
The case of La Mataviejitas remains one of the most studied serial-killer cases in Mexico. It is frequently cited as an unusual example of a female serial killer, a category that is statistically rare worldwide, and it prompted reflection on how investigative profiling assumptions can hinder a manhunt. The early focus on a possible male or cross-dressing suspect has been highlighted as a factor that may have delayed identification of the actual perpetrator.
The vulnerability of elderly people living alone, and the trust that allowed the killer to enter victims' homes, became points of public discussion in the wake of the case. The story has been covered extensively in Mexican and international media and has been the subject of documentaries, books, and television features examining the crimes, the investigation, and Barraza's life.
Barraza has remained incarcerated since her conviction. Over the years she has given interviews and made statements about her case, at times disputing the full extent of the murders attributed to her. The discrepancy between the official and acknowledged victim counts continues to be noted by researchers and journalists who have examined the case.
