TikToker Hermenegildo Acosta is accused of killing his 16-year-old stepson in Argentina after reportedly making claims of demonic possession.
Argentine TikToker Hermenegildo Acosta is accused of killing his 16-year-old stepson, Lautaro Córdoba, in a case that came to light after the boy's mother sought help over alleged domestic violence. Acosta and his 17-year-old son were detained on September 22 following the discovery of Lautaro's body at a rural property in Córdoba province.
Local reporting has since revealed an unsettling account of what Acosta allegedly told police: that his partner and stepson were possessed by a demon, wanted to kill him, and had passed that supposed possession to him.
The Possession Claim Was Not a Formal Statement
According to TN, citing police sources who spoke to El Doce, those remarks were made informally. They should not be read as a formal confession or an established explanation for Lautaro's death.
Acosta had attracted more than 63,000 TikTok followers, with posts that included dancing alongside family members. Away from those videos, Lautaro's mother reported that Acosta had physically attacked and threatened her. She escaped to seek help while her children remained at the property in Higuera Vieja, near Copacabana.
Three Possible Weapons and an Unresolved Motive
In a September 24 update, TN reported prosecutor Analía Cepede's account of the evidence. Investigators were examining whether a firearm, knives used for butchering animals, and a mallet had been used in the attack. A gun was found near the body, while Acosta's son allegedly had the knives in his hands.
The presence of those objects does not establish how each was used. Investigators were still reconstructing the attack and determining each suspect's alleged involvement.
Both face aggravated homicide accusations. The allegations against Acosta also include the involvement of a minor. Neither has been convicted in the case.
Prosecutors are also examining whether Lautaro was killed to cause suffering to his mother. That remains an investigative theory, but it places her report of domestic violence at the center of the inquiry. Establishing the motive will require evidence beyond the possession remarks attributed to Acosta.