In Argentina, there was little to reason to think that much would come of the murder of a magazine photographer who took a picture of a private but powerful man. But something remarkable happened. Democracy may be fragile in all its forms, but it is especially so in Argentina, where a military dictatorship seized control in 1976. The military government waged a "dirty war" against thousands of its own citizens, who were murdered or simply "disappeared."
The murder of Cabezas stirred the memories of those dark times among thousands of Argentine citizens who were determined not to slide back into them. Posters and banners bearing Cabezas' face went up around the country; some were on display at rock concerts and soccer matches. There were church services, rallies and protests to demand justice. That public outcry put pressure on the authorities to step up their investigation, and one thing led to another. A policeman identified by informants as the killer was arrested, then the security chief for the business tycoon. The country's minister of justice, who said he had never met Yabran, resigned after telephone traces revealed at least 100 calls between him and the billionaire.
Finally, the policeman's ex-wife, herself a suspect, revealed that her husband had confided that Yabran was behind the killing, and a judge ordered his arrest. On May 20, 1998, as police were surrounding his estate, the most powerful businessman in Argentina put a shotgun into his mouth and pulled the trigger. It was 16 months after the murder of the photographer.