Mystery as two South American researchers found dead in Missouri

Two South American researchers found dead amid the smouldering remains of a Kansas City apartment building fire were victims of homicide, local law enforcement agencies say.

On Tuesday, the police were yet to identify any suspects or make any arrests, however.

Camila Behrensen, 24, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Pablo Guzmán Palma, 25, of Santiago, Chile, were declared dead on Saturday at the scene of the apartment fire. Police said that they were “suffering from apparent trauma” unrelated to the blaze when firefighters found them.

Their bodies were found around 5am in the morning. They were declared dead at the scene.

Both Behrensen and Palma were predoctoral graduate students at the Stowers Institute for Medical Research, a biomedical research centre in Kansas City.

The Stowers Institute expressed sympathies with the families of the two South Americans. In a tweet, the institute said: “Our deepest sympathies are with their families. During this difficult time, and most importantly, out of respect to the two families, we want to honour and remember the joy, optimism, and exceptional work these two individuals embodied and all that they have accomplished.”

The Kansas City Police Department has asked the public for help in obtaining information concerning the double homicide. The department is asking homeowners or tenants with video surveillance in the area to reach out to them, especially if they have video surveillance or still photographs from any time between 10.30 pm on Friday and 5am on Saturday, the Kansas Star reported.

There is also a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest.

Local media reported that detectives have now also obtained a search warrant pertaining to an Alexa device found in the apartment on Saturday. The detectives believe that “the suspect spent a considerable amount of time” at the site before the bodies were found.

Behrensen was described as “a brilliant young woman with a vibrant intellect” by colleagues and faculty at the Stowers Institute, who had been “looking forward to living on her own in a different country”. Palma was described as “a gentle soul” who earned his bachelor of science and post-bachelor’s degrees in biochemistry at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.