Who Was Griselda Blanco? Inside the True Crime of the Cartel Leader Pt. 2

During this incident, two of Griselda's hired killers took the lives of German Jimenez Panesso and his bodyguard, Juan Carlos Hernandez, while also causing injuries to several others. It was reported that Panesso had connections to the Colombian drug trafficking industry.

What crimes did Griselda Blanco commit?

Griselda, who had been evading capture for ten years, was apprehended in Irvine, California, in February 1985. As stated by the United Nations on Drugs and Crime website, she provided false identification and documents when she was stopped by officials from the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Eventually, a jury sentenced her to 15 years in prison and imposed a $25,000 fine.

During her time serving her federal sentence in New York, Griselda faced three counts of first-degree murder charges from the state of Florida. However, the case was dismissed due to the inappropriate behavior of the prosecution's key witness, Jorge Ayala, who engaged in explicit conversations with the secretaries of the Miami-Dade County prosecutor, as reported by The Tampa Bay Times.

In 1999, special prosecutors in Orlando took over the case, and Griselda pleaded guilty to two murders, according to The New York Post. She received a concurrent sentence of 20 years in prison, in addition to her existing federal sentence of 15 years, as reported by Vice.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Schlessinger, who handled Griselda's prosecution, strongly believes that she was responsible for numerous other murders beyond the three charges she faced.

"It would certainly be dozens. We have no idea here how many murders she authorized in Colombia," Schlessinger told The Miami Herald. "She was a complete sociopath. She murdered people at the drop of a hat. She would kill anybody who displeased her, because of a debt, because they screwed up on a shipment, or she didn't like the way they looked at her."
Griselda was released from prison in 2004 and deported to Colombia, where she lived for the rest of her life.

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Episode Transcript

(00:00):
During this incident, two of Griselda'shired killers took the lives of German Jimenez
Paneso and his bodyguard, Juan CarlosHernandez, while also causing injuries to several
others. It was reported that Panesohad connections to the Colombian drug trafficking industry.
What crimes did Griselda Blanco commit?Griselda, who had been evading capture

(00:24):
for ten years, was apprehended inIrvine, California, in February nineteen eighty
five. As stated by the UnitedNations on Drugs and Crime website, she
provided false identification and documents when shewas stopped by officials from the United States
Drug Enforcement Administration DEA. Eventually,a jury sentenced her to fifteen years in

(00:47):
prison and imposed a twenty five thousanddollars fine. During her time serving her
federal sentence in New York, Griseldafaced three counts of first degree murder charges
from the state of Life, Florida. However, the case was dismissed due
to the inappropriate behavior of the prosecution'skey witness, Jorge Ayala, who engaged

(01:10):
in explicit conversations with the secretaries ofthe Miami Dade County prosecutor, as reported
by the Tampa Bay Times. Innineteen ninety nine, special prosecutors in Orlando
took over the case, and Griseldapleaded guilty to two murders. According to
The New York Post, she receiveda concurrent sentence of twenty years in prison

(01:32):
in addition to her existing federal sentenceof fifteen years. As reported by Weis,
Assistant US attorney Stephen Schlessinger, whohandled Griselda's prosecution, strongly believes that
she was responsible for numerous other murdersbeyond the three charges she faced. It
would certainly be dozens. We haveno idea here how many murders she authorized

(01:55):
in Columbia. Schlessinger told the MiamiHerald she was a complete sociopath. She
murdered people at the drop of ahat. She would kill anybody who displeased
her because of a debt, becausethey screwed up on a shipment, or
she didn't like the way they lookedat her. Griselda was released from prison
in two thousand and four and deportedto Columbia, where she lived for the

(02:16):
rest of her life. Who wereGriselda Blanco's husbands Griselda entered into matrimony with
her first spouse, Carlo Truchuilo,during her teenage years in Colombia. Following
their separation, it is said thatGriselda orchestrated the murder of Truquido. In
the late nineteen sixties, Griselda's secondhusband, Alberto Bravo, played a significant

(02:40):
role in assisting her in establishing hercocaine empire in the United States. They
resided together in Queens. However,when they discovered that federal agents were targeting
them in an investigation in nineteen seventyfive, Griselda and Bravo fled to Columbia.
Unfortunately, their business dispute escalated tothe point where they shot each other,

(03:04):
resulting in Bravo's demise and Griselda beingthe sole survivor. In nineteen seventy
eight, Griselda entered into her thirdmarriage with Dario Sepulveda. They celebrated the
birth of their son, Michael CorleoneBlanco in Columbia that same year before discreetly
relocating to Miami. According to theMiami New Times, Griselda allegedly orchestrated the

(03:29):
murder of Sepulvada in nineteen eighty three. Their relationship had deteriorated due to infidelity
and a custody disagreement. The newspaperreports that Griselda always desired to have Michael
by her side, while Sir Pulvadawished to send their son to school.
When se Pulvda requested this, Griseldarefused, leading him to take Michael to

(03:52):
Columbia. It is said that Griseldahad Sepulvida shot dead in his car,
with Michael seated right besore him.The then five year old was subsequently returned
to his mother in the United States. How did Griselda Blanco die? On
September third, twenty twelve in Medeline, Colombia, Griselda met a tragic end

(04:15):
when an assassin targeted her. Accordingto the Miami Herald, she was standing
outside a butcher's shop when a maskedman approached and fired two shots at her
head. The assailants swiftly fled thescene on a motorcycle. Law enforcement officials,
who had long presumed Griselda to bedeceased, expressed their surprise at the

(04:36):
delay in her demise. Former Miamihomicide detective Nelson Andrew remarked, it is
astonishing that she managed to evade deathfor so long, considering the multitude of
enemies she had made. When oneinflicts harm upon numerous individuals and takes countless
lives, it is only a matterof time before retribution catches up. Fortunately,

(05:00):
Griselda's pregnant daughter in law, whowas accompanying her at the time,
emerged unscathed from the incident. Howold was Griselda Blanco when she died.
Griselda was sixty nine years old whenshe was killed. The Miami Herald reported
that a daughter in law of herswas in their car at the time,
and after Griselda was shot, shelaid a bible on Griselda's chest. Griselda's

(05:26):
former romantic partner, Charles Cosby,told the outlet that she found religion in
later years, adding at the sametime, you can't bring a bible to
a gunfight. Griselda had four children. She and her first husband, Trujilo,
shared three sons, Uber Trujillo,Dixon Trujuilo, and Oswaldo Trujilo.

(05:47):
Griselda gave birth to her young