A comparison diagram presented as evidence by the prosecutor. On the left, an alleged picture of Mónica, disguised, before an action. On the right, a picture of Mónica. Skin features such as moles are visible in the same place in both pictures.
In 2020, anarchists Mónica Caballero and Francisco Solar were arrested in Chile, accused of sending two parcel bombs — to a police station and a former Minister of the Interior — in 2019, and placing explosive devices in a park in an attempt to harm cops in 2020[1]. Both have been charged with attempted murder.
In a trial in 2023, Francisco Solar was sentenced to 86 years in prison and Mónica Caballero to 12 years[2].
Techniques used
| Name | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Forensics | ||
| DNA | Francisco's DNA was allegedly found on the parcel bomb sent to the former Minister of the Interior, which was defused and didn't explode[1]. | |
| Facial recognition | In order to identify Mónica and Francisco on public CCTV footage, photos of both were compared to the footage, including a comparison of several facial features: eye distances, wrinkles, piercing scars, ear size, mouth and nose shape[1]. | |
| Handwriting analysis | The labels on the two parcel bombs remained intact — one because the parcel didn't explode, and one despite the explosion of the parcel[1]. The handwritten signatures on the labels were compared and positively matched. This showed that the parcels were sent by the same person. | |
| Mass surveillance | ||
| Civilian snitches | The saleswoman of the cell phone store where Mónica bought a phone that was used as part of the 2020 action, when questioned by investigators, gave a description of a person that the investigators matched to Mónica[1]. | |
| Video surveillance | Public CCTV footage was extensively used by investigators to reconstruct the movements of Mónica and Francisco before and during the actions, despite the mitigations they took (taking taxis, changing clothes, wearing disguises)[1]. | |
| Open-source intelligence | The photos used to identify Mónica and Francisco in public CCTV footage were found on social media[1]. | |