The decision of the Superior Court of Cali to modify the sentence against Gustavo Andrés Ricciresponsible for the feminicide of the former skater Luz Mery Tristán in 2023, It once again caused pain in the athlete’s family.
Valeria, one of his daughters, spoke with journalist Vanessa de la Torre in The FMabout the ruling, the relationship he had with the convicted man and what the family expects after the crime.
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What charges does the accused face?
During the interview, Valeria explained that Ricci faced two charges: feminicide and illegal carrying of weapons. According to him, the Court removed responsibility for the crime related to carrying weapons, while the conviction for femicide remains. For that reason, according to the decision, by revoking his carrying of weapons, His sentence was reduced from 45 to 41 years and 8 months in prison.
“The most important is that of feminicide, because it was proven that it was feminicide; it is still there and that is what we fought so hard for.”
Because it was proven that it was feminicide; still there
valeria tristanDaughter of Luz Mery Tristán.
Andrés Ricci, the murder weapon. Photo:EL TIEMPO/ Private Archive
We just want this to be over
valeria tristanDaughter of Luz Mery Tristán.
“It’s been 3 years where every time something happens “is to remove the wound again, is to add salt to the wound again,” he stated.
“Every time something happens, Every time we have to see this man, every time we have to hear these things, it simply makes that wound grow and relive everything again.
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One of the aspects that Valeria related during the interview was the relationship she had with Ricci before her mother’s murder. The young woman said that She met him when she was approximately 15 years old. and that, during that period, developed a close bond with him.
“I personally had a good relationship with him. He came into my life when I was very young. I never grew up with my dad, so I was always very fond of him, which is which makes it all the more disappointing to see not only what he did, but has shown like zero regret and only appear in videos and podcasts and YouTube and everywhere to continue damaging my mother’s name.
Luz Mery Tristan. Photo:Private file
Valeria explained that these types of acts “are things that we cannot allow,” arguing that the rights of someone like him, who murdered a woman in such a horrible way, “They can go off as if nothing had happened, talking about a thousand things that really don’t make any sense.”
Valeria also assured that He never received a communication from Ricci to apologize. She said there was no call, letter sent through her attorney or any other type of message directed to her or the family.
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Luz Mery Tristán’s daughter especially questioned that The convicted person has been able to use different spaces to speak publicly from prison, while he would not have found a way to communicate with the murdered woman’s children.
“If he has the means to be able to do interviews from prison and podcasts and everything that is said to have come out as a ‘youtuber’, “Well, it’s very hard that he couldn’t get on the phone to say sorry for having killed his mother,” he pointed out.
It’s very hard that he couldn’t get on the phone to say sorry for killing his mother.
VALERIA TRISTANDaughter of Luz Mery Tristán.
Andrés Ricci, from prison. Photo:Private file
Violence against women
During the conversation with The FMValeria also talked about what she has known throughout these years from her own experience.
He said that several women have approached her to tell her about similar situations and expose cases of violence they have faced. According to his story, Some of them tried to ask for help and raise their voices, but they did not find an answer that would allow them to prevent the situations from progressing.
The processes are super revictimizing for women
Valeria TRISTANDaughter of Luz Mery Tristán.
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The young woman considered that Institutions and society should pay more attention to signs of violence before the cases reach consequences like those suffered by his mother.
“It’s incredible that they have to come to what my mother experienced so that it can really be taken as some action,” he stated.
In that sense, he insisted that it is not only about acting after a femicide occurs, but about address situations of violence that may precede it.
Luz Mery Tristan. Photo:EL TIEMPO Archive
‘They should spend their entire lives in prison’
Valeria also raised the need for There is a strong judicial response to these crimes. Although he acknowledged that life imprisonment practically does not exist in Colombia, he expressed his position on the penalties that those who commit femicides or crimes against minors should receive.
“For me, all the people who commit a crime like this or who mess with children They should spend their entire lives in prison.“, he stated.
They should spend their entire lives in prison.
valeria tristan Daughter of Luz Mery Tristán.
A family that continues to seek justice
Valeria turned 24 and, as she said, a good part of her adult life has been crossed by the murder of her mother and the subsequent judicial process.
The new decision of the Superior Court of Cali represents for her another episode that forces the family to return to what happened. However, he assured that She and her brothers will continue forward with the actions they consider necessary to seek justice.
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“Nothing will be able to bring our mother back, but if there is anything we can do to ensure that justice is done not only for her, but for all the victims, here we are going to do it“he concluded.
#It’snottimetoshut up
If your life is at risk, you can call 123, the emergency line in Colombia. Also, if you or a woman in your environment is a victim of psychological, physical, economic or sexual violence, you can contact the national line 155.
Likewise, you can report it on the lines of the Attorney General’s Office at the national number 018000919748, from your cell phone by dialing 122 or in Bogotá at 601 5702000.
Daniela Gutiérrez Munar
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