Arrest Made in 1973 Murder Case of Chilean Singer Victor Jara

WHO:

BBC News - Nelson Haase was convicted of the kidnap and murder of folk singer Victor Jara.

CBS News - Victor Jara was a major figure of New Chilean Song and author of songs such as "El derecho de vivir en paz."

CBS News - General Hernan Chacon, another convicted individual, died by suicide in 2023.

WHAT:

CBS News - Police captured Nelson Haase, a fugitive convicted of kidnapping and murdering Victor Jara in 1973.

CBS News - Jara was tortured and murdered with 44 bullets on September 16, 1973.

CBS News - Seven retired military officers were sentenced for Jara's death to prison terms ranging from eight to 25 years on August 28, 2023.

CBS News - The murder of Jara is considered one of the most heinous crimes committed by the dictatorship, which left a toll of 3,200 victims.

WHERE:

CBS News - Nelson Haase was found in the Los Lagos region, 590 miles south of the capital of Chile.

CBS News - Chile Stadium, where many were detained and tortured, was renamed after Victor Jara in 2003.

WHEN:

CBS News - Jara was murdered on September 16, 1973, five days after Augusto Pinochet's coup on September 11, 1973.

CBS News - Seven retired military officers were sentenced on August 28, 2023.

CBS News - Haase fled when his 25-year sentence was announced.

WHY:

CBS News - Jara was a victim of the violent coup led by General Augusto Pinochet against Salvador Allende, the democratically elected president of Chile.

HOW:

CBS News - Jara was subjected to physical torture, with severe blows to his face and hands, according to court documents from 2023.

(UPDATED July 27, 2026 17:36 UTC)

Nelson Haase has been convicted for the kidnap and murder of folk singer Victor Jara, a prominent figure in the New Chilean Song movement, who was brutally killed with 44 bullets on September 16, 1973. Haase, who was captured in the Los Lagos region of Chile, fled after being sentenced to 25 years for his role in this heinous crime, which is part of a dark chapter in the country's history that claimed around 3,200 victims. The conviction comes after seven retired military officers were sentenced to prison terms ranging from eight to 25 years for their involvement in Jara's death, highlighting the ongoing pursuit of justice for the victims of the dictatorship.