A Widow’s Game focuses on the murder investigation carried out by the captain of the homicide group of the National Police, Eva Torres, whose character is loosely based on the real-life Esther Maldonado. She was the one who was heading the unit during the investigation of the muder of Antonio Navarro, introduced as Arturo Ferrer Puig in the film. In the end, Eva finally figured out that it was the widow, Maje, who conspired with her obsessed lover, Salva, to murder her husband. Apart from the central plot, the film has heavily fictionalized the characters, especially that of Eva, for creative and dramatic purposes. However, a tragic incident in which Eva lost one of her colleagues, Berni, did take place in real life, suggesting that Berni’s character is inspired by an officer named Blas Gamez Ortiz, who met his tragic demise in a similar way. So without any further ado, let’s take a look at the shocking incident that really happened. How did Berni actually die, and was his killer ever caught or not?
How did Blas Gamez Ortiz die ?
Deputy Inspector Blas Gamez Ortiz, a 51-year-old member of the National Police force, had an illustrious career that spanned almost 3 decades. Born in 1966, the man was a part of the national electoral council of the Spanish army. He was somebody who loved playing all kinds of sports, and his friends and colleagues remembered him as an empathetic man who spent his entire life in service to the nation.
On 12th September 2017, Esther Maldonado Marin and her two subordinates were trying to find incriminating evidence against Maje, who they believed was behind the murder of her husband, Antonio Navarro. Esther and her team had gotten permission to wiretap Maje’s phone, because of which they got to know that the woman clearly had some really serious mental health disorders. The police officers were amazed at how such an innocent-looking woman was able to deceive everybody and put up such a pretentious act. Blas Gamez Ortiz, who was the oldest and most experienced member of the homicide team, was informed about a dead body being found near number 77, Sueca Street. I believe the neighbors had suspected some criminal activity happening, because of which they had informed the police about it.
Officer Gamez and his partner reached the crime scene, where a trail of blood led them to the entrance. They found a bag, which made them realise that the suspicions of whoever had called for the police were not wrong. The bag held human body parts, a torso in particular, of an unknown victim. Blas Gamez believed that the perpetrator was hiding in the apartment where the blood trail ended. He had no clue that he was up against a violent criminal who would not hesitate in attacking him. The perpetrator had realised that the police had found out that he was the one who had murdered the victim. The perpetrator pounced on Blas Gamez the moment he opened the door. Blas was stabbed twice in the heart, and even though paramedics tried their best to revive him, Officer Gamez ultimately succumbed to his injuries. He passed away on 12th September.
Who killed Blas Gamez?
The man who stabbed Blas Gamez was Pierre Danilo Laramcuent. The psychopath was in reality a Swedish citizen who was found guilty of drug trafficking and sent to prison for 14 years in 2004. After he was released, he decided to settle in Russafa, a neighborhood in Valencia. At that time, little did the National Police know that they would cross paths with the madman, and that one of their decorated officers would fall victim to him. Nobody understood Pierre Danilo for what he was. During his time in prison, he had written three novels. It made it clear that the man thought of himself as some artist whose sole purpose in life was to commit the perfect crime. His neighbors were intimidated by him, which was why they were always suspicious about what he was up to. Pierre was not a very friendly man, and nobody wanted to mess with him. Pierre had supposedly met his victim, Alberto Enrique, a hairdresser, on a dating app, and he had called the latter to his house on 77, Sueca Street, to spend some quality time together. Little did the 42-year-old victim know that it would be his last day. His body was dismembered, and his torso was kept inside a suitcase, which was even mentioned in the Netflix film.
How Did Blas’ Killer Die?
Pierre had planned to eventually flee the crime scene, as he had spent a fair amount of time in prison and wasn’t keen on going back, but before he could do so, Blas Gamez arrived at his doorstep. Pierre took Officer Blas by surprise, but his partner responded immediately and shot Pierre dead on the spot, because of which the case was assumed to be closed and the crime was never investigated thoroughly, though the authorities had their own theories behind the gruesome crime.
How Did The Fallen Officer Create A Legacy?
Levante-EMV, a Spanish newspaper, posthumously felicitated the brave, selfless Blas Gamez, who had sacrificed his life in the line of duty. The entire police department mourned the loss of an exceptional officer and even better human being. Blas’ death left a huge impact on Maldonado, who somewhere felt guilty for not being by his side when he was standing in the line of fire. She knew she couldn’t do anything about it, but that still didn’t help her get rid of the heaviness that she felt inside her.
A year later, the mayor, Jesus Ros, further honored the fallen officer, and his name was engraved on a plaque in the park of the Plaza de Las Américas. The honor ceremony was attended by his widow, Maria Jesus Saez and his two kids. Blas always believed that it was not always possible to be free from moral flaws. But still he tried his level best to do his duty sincerely, and he was selfless in his approach.
