Teen sweethearts 'who went out to the gym' found beaten to death in homeless camp

A pair of teenage sweethearts who disappeared "during a trip to a gym" have been found beaten to death with a rock at a homeless camp, according to police. Victims Paloma Gallardo, 16, and 14-year-old Josue Salvatierra, had vanished from their homes in Florencio Varela, Argentina, on January 30. Police say their beaten bodies were found three days later in wasteland. An autopsy revealed that both died from repeated violent blows to the head with a rock but had not been tied up and Paloma had not been sexually assaulted, as had been previously claimed. Police believe the couple had been ambushed and robbed and then beaten to death by their attackers.

Their robbers are alleged to have fled with cash, two mobile phones and a backpack being carried by Josue. Paloma's heartbroken dad Omar Gallardo an evangelical pastor who gives sermons on YouTube, identified her body and later told local media: "I can't describe what had been done to my daughter's body.". Paloma and Josue, who were next-door neighbours, had grown up together and both went to the University of Forests Secondary School. They are said to have been going out together for just a couple of months before they were killed. At 6pm on the day they disappeared Paloma had told her dad that she was going to train with Josue.

Three hours later, neither had returned home and their cell phones were dead. Paloma's mum Alicia Pita “At 9pm, Josue’s father came to our home to ask about him, because he knew that they had both gone to the gym together, but they never came back. Paloma left with just what she was wearing and a bottle of water, thinking of returning soon. She didn’t have anything else with her because she hadn’t planned to go anywhere.”.

She continued: “They were not looking to leave home, they did not wan to abandon their families, it was not a youthful adventure. They were victims of horrific crime. We expected another ending, but God has other plans.”. The mum said: “They stayed in the square like any other teenage couple, they were happy, there was no fighting. They loved each other very much, they were friends at first and two months ago they started dating." And she added tragically: “My daughter went out to the square and never came back.”.

Police are investigating local CCTV and home security footage to identify the attackers. It is believed the two youngsters had stopped and were sitting together in the disused site when they were suddenly attacked. Local residents have marched to the police station asking for justice for the pair and complained that the disused site had been set on fire to get rid of evidence. “They burnt the local to get rid of evidence. There should have been police there to preserve the site,” said one woman.