GUATEMALA CITY — 1990 · Murder
The Murder of Anthropologist Myrna Mack
Anthropologist Myrna Mack Chang was known for her research on Indigenous communities displaced during the civil war. On 11 September 1990 she was stabbed to death as she left her office in Guatemala City. Her sister Helen Mack insisted that the case led back to military intelligence and began a legal battle that lasted years. In 1993 a soldier was convicted of carrying out the killing; in 2002 a former colonel was convicted as the intellectual author but fled after the verdict. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights held Guatemala responsible in 2003, and the state formally acknowledged responsibility in 2004. The case became a symbol of the fight against impunity.
- Date
- 1990
- Place
- Guatemala, Guatemala, Guatemala City, GT
- Category
- Murder
- Case Status
- Solved
- Coordinates
- 14.6300, -90.5100 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 11 September 1990Myrna Mack was killed as she left her office.
- 1993A soldier was convicted of the killing.
- 2002A former colonel was convicted as the mastermind, then fled.
- 2003The Inter-American Court held Guatemala responsible.
- 2004The Guatemalan state formally acknowledged responsibility.
Sources
- Equipo Nizkor — Caso Myrna Mack derechos.org ↗
- AVANCSO — Myrna Elizabeth Mack Chang: biografía avancso.org.gt ↗
- Guatemala.com — Biografía de Myrna Mack Chang guatemala.com ↗
- Wikipedia — Myrna Mack en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Equipo Nizkor
- AVANCSO
- Guatemala.com
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.