Police Officer Who Found Maradona’s Body Says He Was ‘Very Swollen’ in Court Testimony

Lucas Farías, the first police officer to arrive at the scene of Diego Armando Maradona’s death, reiterated in court on Thursday that he found the football icon’s body “very swollen” and described the abdomen as “about to explode.” His testimony came during the fourth hearing of the retrial into Maradona’s death, which is being heard by Tribunal Oral en lo Criminal N°3 of San Isidro.

The hearing, held on April 23, 2026, focused on the events of November 25, 2020, the day Maradona died at age 60 even as receiving home care in a rented house in the San Andrés private neighborhood of Tigre, Buenos Aires Province. Farías, who was an official principal at the time and in charge of the Villa La Ñata police outpost, said he entered the property around 1:15 p.m., about an hour and 20 minutes after Maradona’s death was confirmed.

Upon arrival, Farías said he saw seven ambulances outside the house at lot 45. He was directed to the bedroom by security staff, where he first observed a covered shape on the bed. After the sheet was removed, he identified the body as Maradona’s.

“The first thing I saw was a bundle on the bed, covered with a sheet. When they uncovered it, I saw it was Diego Armando Maradona’s body,” Farías testified. “It surprised me to see him like that, beyond everything he represents.”

He then described the condition of the body in vivid detail: “The abdomen was very swollen, about to explode.” This phrasing matched his earlier statements from the initial investigation and was consistent with testimony he gave during the first trial, which was annulled in May 2025 due to procedural irregularities involving one of the judges.

Farías also recalled the atmosphere inside the home, noting that it appeared to be a standard bedroom rather than a medical treatment room. “It was a normal bedroom, not the room of someone receiving medical care — like it could have been my own bedroom,” he said.

During his testimony, Farías identified several individuals present in the house at the time, including Claudia Villafañe, Maradona’s former wife; psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov; nurse Gisela Dahiana Madrid; and two of Maradona’s nephews. He also said that neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque arrived shortly after and identified himself as Maradona’s personal physician, a claim that later prompted whispered reactions from Farías and his lawyer, especially after Luque had previously stated in a prior hearing that he was not in charge of Maradona’s health.

The prosecution presented a 17-minute video recorded by the Scientific Police that day, showing Maradona lying supine and lifeless, with a visibly distended abdomen. Gianinna Maradona, his daughter, was present in the courtroom during the playback.

Later in the hearing, Cristian Méndez, then director of the Scientific Police, testified that the scene lacked basic order and cleanliness. “Things were not clean, nor were they organized,” Méndez said. He also recalled seeing a portable toilet in the residence.

Méndez further described observing a “globose abdomen” on Maradona — a medical term referring to pronounced stomach distension — along with foam around the mouth, which he associated with ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen) and respiratory distress.

Gianinna Maradona, speaking during a recess, expressed frustration over the state of the home and suggested financial motives may have influenced the actions of some of the medical staff involved in her father’s care. “It was proven that the house was a disaster. It makes me furious,” she said. “From my point of view, there were economic motives behind the conduct of the doctors.”

The current trial involves seven defendants charged with simple homicide with eventual intent (dolo eventual): psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, psychoanalyst Carlos Díaz, Swiss Medical coordinator Nancy Forlini, physician Pedro Di Spagna, nurse coordinator Mariano Perroni, nurse Ricardo Almirón, and Leopoldo Luque. All are accused of failing to provide adequate care that contributed to Maradona’s death.

The proceedings continue as the tribunal evaluates medical records, witness accounts, and expert testimony to determine whether negligence or misconduct played a role in the passing of one of football’s most legendary figures.

The next hearing in the case has not yet been publicly scheduled, but the tribunal is expected to resume deliberations in the coming weeks as additional forensic and medical evidence is reviewed.

For ongoing coverage of developments in the Maradona trial and other major sports justice stories, continue following Archysport, where we prioritize accuracy, context, and accountability in every report.