Suicide Of Ex-Argentine Police Chief Shown On TV

November 23, 2008 8:18 a.m. EST

Buenos Aires, Argentina (AHN) - Sixty-three year-old Mario Ferreyra, former commander of the Argentina police gave an interview to a television crew, and with the camera still rolling, pulled out a gun from his boot and shot himself.

Ferreyra, also known as "El Malevo," was accused of being involved in the kidnapping and torture of dissidents during the 1973-83 dictatorship in Argentina, also known as the "The Dirty War," that has left thousands disappeared.

He climbed at the top of a water tank at his home in Tucuman, Argentina when he learned authorities were on their way to arrest him.

A television crew from cable TV station Cronica interviewed him. After making his statement before the TV crew, Ferreyra uttered, "Maria, goodbye," referring to his wife, and then took out a .45 caliber from his boot and shot himself.

All this was captured by the camera which was still rolling. The TV station later broadcast the harrowing images.

A court convicted Ferreyra for the murder of three men in 1993. He turned himself to former Tucuman governor Antonio Bussi who reduced his sentence.

His wife insists the former police chief is innocent against the accusations hurled against him and has shown her documents to prove this.

However, the families of his alleged victims say the suicide was part of a pact of silence, to prevent Ferreyra from testifying against his former colleagues.