Latest news with #Salvador
Time Magazine
a day ago
- Time Magazine
The Shocking True Story Behind Netflix's A Widow's Game
On the morning of August 16, 2017, Antonio Navarro Cerdán, a 36-year-old industrial engineer, left his home to go to work in Valencia, Spain. He lived in the Patraix neighborhood with his wife, María Jesús Moreno Cantó—known as Maje. Antonio never even started the car: he was ambushed in the building's garage by a man who had been hiding among the vehicles. Stabbed in the chest, he died at the scene. From the start, police ruled out robbery as a motive—nothing had been taken. The case quickly took a dark turn, revealing a carefully orchestrated plot, with the widow Maje at its center. This real-life story of betrayal, manipulation, and premeditated murder inspired the new Spanish thriller A Widow's Game (La Viuda Negra), premiering May 30 on Netflix. Here's everything you need to know about the true crime behind the Netflix film. The widow At the time of Antonio's murder, Maje was 27 years-old and described as sweet, vain, and charismatic. A nurse at a city hospital, she appeared in the media as a young widow devastated by a senseless tragedy. She publicly expressed disbelief over the brutality of the murder. But investigators were struck by her calm and calculated demeanor during early questioning. Reports noted that her emotional responses didn't align with those of someone in mourning. The investigation focused on the victim's inner circle and soon revealed that Maje was leading a double life. Despite her image as a devoted wife, she was engaged in multiple extramarital affairs. One of them, with Salvador Rodrigo Lapiedra, a janitor at her hospital, became key to the case. Salvador was deeply in love with Maje, who fueled his feelings with promises of a future together and alleged stories of domestic abuse. Phone taps uncovered incriminating conversations between the two, making it clear they had planned Antonio's murder in advance. The premeditated crime Maje convinced Salvador to carry out the murder. He hid in the couple's building garage in Valencia, armed with a kitchen knife, while Maje was away from the home. Salvador waited, and when Antonio came down, ambushed and stabbed him to death. Maje had told her lover the times her husband usually left, which routes he took, and even gave him the garage keys. The crime was meticulously planned. The murder weapon was discarded in a cesspit on Salvador's property and would only be recovered months later, with his help, after his confession. The fall of the Black Widow of Patraix Maje and Salvador were arrested in January 2018. Initially, Salvador tried to protect her, but changed his story after learning she had become romantically involved with another inmate while in custody. In a new statement, he admitted to committing the murder with Maje's full support and encouragement. 'In my previous statement, I said it was all my idea. But it was both of us,' says Salvador in a real recording from the hearing revealed at the end of the movie. According to Salvador, Maje portrayed herself as a victim of psychological and physical abuse. She told him that if her husband died, she would be free without going through a divorce — which would leave her without a widow's pension or inheritance. Maje denied any involvement in her husband's death. But the court found overwhelming evidence—including text messages, phone calls, and witness testimonies—that dismantled her version and pointed to a jointly planned crime. In October 2020, Maje was sentenced to 22 years in prison for murder with the aggravating circumstance of kinship. Salvador received a 17 year sentence, with time reduced for cooperating with the investigation. Both were ordered to pay €250,000 (approximately $282.437,50 USD) in damages to Antonio's family. A jury found them both guilty, highlighting Maje's psychological manipulation of her lover as a decisive factor. After the crime While serving her sentence, Maje became pregnant by another inmate. In July 2023, she gave birth at the General Hospital of Alicante under police custody. After the delivery, she was transferred to the mother-child unit at Fontcalent prison, where she can stay with her baby until the child turns three years old. The baby's father is David, a prisoner convicted of a 2008 murder. Maje and David met during her previous time at Picassent prison, where they began a relationship. The nickname 'Black Widow of Patraix' was given to Maje due to the nature of the crime: she allegedly manipulated her lover into murdering her husband, luring him into a carefully planned trap. The name refers to the black widow spider, whose female is known for killing the male after mating — a metaphor that underscores the cold and calculated betrayal at the heart of the case.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Judge spars with Trump administration over release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia: ‘My head is spinning'
More than a month after the Supreme Court agreed that Donald Trump 's administration must be ordered to 'facilitate' the release of a wrongfully deported Salvadoran immigrant, the government is refusing to do so — and arguing with a federal judge that they don't have to. The weeks-long court battle is leaving a judge's head 'spinning,' Maryland District Judge Paula Xinis told attorneys on Friday. Last month, Supreme Court justices unanimously agreed that the government's removal of Kilmar Abrego Garcia was 'illegal.' Now, government attorneys are sparring with Judge Xinis to try to conceal what, if anything, the administration is doing to return him, and why that information needs to be kept secret. Meanwhile, administration officials are 'shouting from the rooftops' in public about ensuring that Abrego Garcia never returns to the United States, according to his attorneys. 'He will never walk freely in the U.S.,' Department of Justice lawyer Jonathan Guynn told District Judge Paula Xinis in a Maryland courtroom on Friday. 'That sounds to me like an admission you will not take steps' to 'facilitate' Abrego Garcia's return,' Xinis replied. 'That's about as clear as it can get,' said Gyunn. Despite government attorneys and the White House admitting that Abrego Garcia was deported from Maryland 'due to an administrative error,' the Justice Department is now clashing with its own determination — and multiple court rulings from federal judges in the Supreme Court — about the legality of his removal. 'Abrego Garcia was removed without lawful authority — you conceded it,' Xinis told Justice Department lawyers on Friday. 'Not to split hairs with your honor, but he was removed lawfully,' Guynn said. 'He shouldn't be in the United States.' 'He was removed in error,' Xinis replied. Guynn later conceded that he was reported in 'error' but said it did not rise to government 'misconduct.' Government attorneys have produced more than 1,400 documents in the case, but Abrego Garcia's legal team has only received 164, most of which are photocopies of their own filings. 'My head is spinning,' Xinis told the court at one point. Lawyers for Abrego Garcia's family asked the judge to keep the government on 'as tight a leash as possible' to ensure the administration is responding to court-ordered questions. Abrego Garcia fled El Salvador as a teenager in 2011 and was working as a sheet-metal apprentice in Maryland, where he has been living with his wife and 5-year-old child, both U.S. citizens. The couple is also raising two other children from a previous relationship. After a traffic stop in March, he was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and then deported to El Salvador's brutal Terrorism Confinement Center. He was later moved to another prison designed to imprison non-gang members. Trump's allies and administration officials have repeatedly sought to justify his detention over allegations of criminal activity and gang membership, which were raised only after he was summarily deported. Democrats and legal analysts argue the administration could return Abrego Garcia and then use that alleged evidence against him in normal immigration court removal hearings, but the government is refusing to do so. Instead, Justice Department lawyers and Trump administration officials have raised a 'state secrets' privilege to try to avoid answering questions about the government's relationship with El Salvador and conversations about the arrangements among officials. Abrego Garcia's lawyers argued that the government hasn't shown even 'the slightest effort' to fulfill court orders to retrieve him, and even cited Trump's interview last month with ABC News in which he said he could bring Abrego Garcia back but won't. On Friday, Xinis described the government's reasoning for withholding that information as 'take my word for it.' 'There's simply no details,' she said. 'This is basically 'take my word for it.''
Ottawa Citizen
16-05-2025
- Health
- Ottawa Citizen
Cervical cancer rates rising in Canada, but other countries are close to eliminating it
Article content Between 2015 and 2019, cervical cancer rates increased in Canada by 3.7 per cent a year, according to a recent report from the Canadian Cancer Society, which calls it the first significant increase in cervical cancer rates since 1984. More than 1,500 people a year are diagnosed with cervical cancer. Article content Salvador says she fears cervical cancer rates will increase even more rapidly since those statistics don't include the period of the pandemic, which disrupted the health system and delayed screening and diagnosis for many illnesses, including cancer. Key drivers of the increase in cervical cancer are the shortage of family physicians and the lack of robust screening programs across the country, she says. Article content Women and some men under the age of 30 have been vaccinated against HPV, reducing their risk of cervical cancer, but, for women between 30 and about 55 or older, early detection through screening continues to be the key to reducing cervical cancer rates, Salvador says. Article content Article content Article content Poor access to primary care in much of Canada and a screening program that doesn't reach many people add to the risk of cervical cancers being detected at later stages. The risks in rural parts of the country — where access to primary care and screening is often more difficult — are higher. Article content Salvador wants to see all provinces and territories switch from the traditional pap smear screening test to an HPV test, something already done in Ontario. HPV testing is considered more sensitive, meaning it is better at detecting high-risk HPV infection before abnormal cells develop. It also has the potential to be self-administered, something Salvador says will increase access, especially for those in remote areas or without good access to primary care. Article content For now, she and other specialists in gynecological oncology are seeing fewer cases of pre-cancers being identified and more advanced-stage cancers. Article content In Australia, which is on track to eliminate cervical cancer, the screening system is 'much more robust,' meaning it tracks and contacts women to let them know when they need screening, she notes. Article content Article content Cervical cancer is not the only gynecological cancer of concern, she says. In Canada, nine women a day are diagnosed with ovarian cancer, one of the deadliest cancers involving women and one for which there is no screening. And more than 8,500 women will be diagnosed with uterine cancer this year. Article content Salvador says advanced stage gynecological cancers are increasingly being diagnosed in emergency departments after symptoms have progressed. Article content 'An emergency room is a terrible location to be told you have cancer,' she said. Article content A new worry is the spillover from health research cuts in the United States to issues related to women. Women specific health research already lags behind other research, Salvador says, and the cuts in the U.S. could create a period of stagnation when it comes to new treatments and innovations for gynecological cancers. Article content 'It is really disheartening.'
Calgary Herald
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Ashley Salvador touts experience, protection of services in bid for re-election to Edmonton council
Ashley Salvador is seeking a second term as the city councillor for Ward Métis, officially launching her re-election campaign Saturday. Article content Article content With the theme 'Moving forward with focus, together,' Salvador is running as an independent, highlighting priorities such as protecting public services, fiscal responsibility, and advancing affordability, safety and sustainability in Edmonton. Article content Article content 'Over the last few years, our communities and our city have faced a number of compounding challenges,' Salvador told Postmedia. 'Not only have we been challenged by the COVID-19 pandemic, but the inflation crisis and economic disruption as well. We've been through a lot together as a community.' Article content Article content Salvador said the city's opportunity now is to focus on top priorities such as safe and healthy communities, 'making sure that we're growing in fiscally and environmentally sustainable ways, and making sure that we're building a city that's livable and affordable.' Article content With Edmonton's population rapidly increasing, Salvador said smart planning is essential. Article content 'People are choosing Edmonton. They want to live here because we are a great place to live, relatively affordable, good opportunities, and we need to be able to make decisions today that are going to support that growth in the long run.' Article content A key plank of Salvador's platform is protecting public services in the face of financial pressures and structural budget challenges. The city's response to the pandemic was to impose tax and spending restraints, but that led to neglect of public services 'to a level where Edmontonians are not seeing value for their tax dollars,' she said. Article content Article content 'So for me, it's about really prioritizing and honing in on what are those key public services that Edmontonians rely on and expect, and how we can get to a place where they are sustainably and predictably funded.' Article content Article content Article content On affordability, Salvador said important steps have already been taken, including modernizing the zoning bylaw to allow for more housing supply and diversity, while securing federal housing funds. Article content 'We've seen record numbers when it comes to new homes being built. We need to continue that momentum,' she said. Article content 'The market alone cannot solve the affordable housing crisis, which is why I'm going to be continuing to advocate for funding for affordable housing, subsidized housing, non-market housing, to support folks who are on the fringes and who are facing increasing pressures.' Article content Salvador said she also sees recreation and cultural amenities as part of the affordability equation. The same goes for public transit, she added, noting the city has added around 50,000 new service hours to the bus system over the last few years, but 'we need to go much further' as 'Edmonton has chronically underfunded its public transit system' and it isn't always a viable option for many.
Scottish Sun
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Who is Maria Jesus M.C aka black widow of Patraix and how long was she jailed for murdering Antonio Navarro Cerdan?
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) MARIA Jesus Moreno Canto is the inspiration behind Netflix's latest true crime movie after she was jailed for the murder of her husband. The new film follows the story of the case known as the black widow of Patraix, but what happened to Antonio Navarro Cerdan? Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Maria Jesus Moreno Canto was imprisoned for murdering her husband Credit: X / Cristina Segui Who is Maria Jesus Moreno Canto? Maria Jesus Moreno Canto and her partner Salvador R.L were both found guilty of the murder of Antonio on August 16, 2017. She was sentenced to 22 years behind bars for the stabbing in Valencia, Spain. The chilling story has been made into a film on Netflix, titled A Widow's Game. Maria, known as Maje, was 28 at the time of her husband's murder, and she worked as a nurse. She'd moved to Valencia from a small town to pursue a new and exciting life in the city. Maje was her husband's first and only girlfriend and was alleged to have frequently cheated on him. A month before their wedding, she was discovered to be having an affair with a physiotherapist, but Antonio forgave her. Salvador was a nursing assistant and worked with Maje. His wife, Inma also worked in the same medical centre. Ahead of Maje's guilty verdict, her brother said: "If she really is guilty, she will no longer be my sister." What did Maria Jesus Moreno Canto do? During her trial, she denied that she had anything to do with the planning or execution of her husband's murder, but admitted to covering up the crime. Watch first trailer for explosive Netflix show on Jason Corbett killing Jurors heard how Maje had asked Salvador to kill Antonio and had given him keys to her garage. Salvador admitted to the fatal stabbing with a butcher's knife, but said he only did it because he was scared of losing Maje. He said that Maje had lied to him and said she was being mistreated by her husband and felt he needed to "protect her". Both Maje and Salvador were found guilty after it was revealed that she'd given him precise information about her husband to ensure Antonio's death. 2 Their happiness was short-lived and the marriage ended with a murder in a garage Credit: Netflix A total of 52 pieces of evidence, including recorded conversations, photos and WhatsApp messages were presented to the jury. Salvador was sentenced to 17 years in prison. How can I watch A Widow's Game? The film, based on the actual crime, is available on Netflix from May 30, 2025. It was produced by Bambu Producciones and written by the same writers as The Asunta Case. It's a Spanish film and stars Ivana Baquero as María and Carmen Machi as case inspector Eva and Tristan Ulloa as Salva.
