The killer of a Cuban mother has been identified in the streets of Santiago de Cuba.

The alleged femicide of Cuban Tamara Carreras Martínez, who was killed in broad daylight in Santiago de Cuba this week, has been identified on social media as Ricardo, a man living on General Miró Street, who was arrested by the police after witnesses of the crime gave him a beating.

According to reports from journalist Yosmany Mayeta Labrada, the attacker was detained after being beaten by neighbors who witnessed the assault on the 57-year-old woman, who was an employee of the Universidad de Oriente.

"The man is named 'Ricardo' and resides on General Miro, between Marti and Julián del Casal, in the well-known 'Callejuela.' According to my sources, the assailant is no longer in danger after being injured by youths from the neighborhood, and he has been in custody since last night," said the reporter.

Local sources cited by the reporter indicated that Ricardo was known for the toxicity of his romantic relationships.

According to testimonies from neighbors who requested anonymity, the man had exhibited abusive behavior in the past, and Tamara had filed a complaint against him, but no action was taken by the authorities.

"A few years ago, he kept a woman locked in his house and didn't let her out; she was like his slave," recounted a neighbor.

The victim, who would turn 58 in November, lived on San Antonio Street and had one son, Ariel Despaigne Carreras, who left the country 15 days ago to embark on the Central American migration route heading to the United States.

From abroad, Ariel expressed his sorrow over the news on social media and thanked the support of neighbors and acquaintances.

The University of Oriente, where Tamara worked in the area of Computerization, issued a condolence note on social media expressing regret over the passing of their colleague and extending their condolences to the family.

This case is the second reported femicide in Santiago de Cuba this month. A few days ago, Yucleidis "Cuca" Morales was murdered in the municipality of Songo-La Maya, adding another crime to the increase in gender-based violence in the country. If this new murder is confirmed as an act of misogynistic violence, the number of femicides in 2024 would reach 43, according to independent monitoring platforms.

Although the Cuban Penal Code does not classify femicide as a crime, in 2023, 60 cases of murder for gender reasons were prosecuted.

More than 80% of the victims were killed by their partners or ex-partners, according to data from the Gender Equality Observatory of Cuba. The Federation of Cuban Women (FMC) has acknowledged the situation of violence faced by over 16,000 women and girls in the country, and in July, the government established a national system for recording and monitoring incidents of gender-based violence.