Netflix has a habit of dropping these heavy-hitting international documentaries that sort of just sit there on the homepage until word-of-mouth turns them into a phenomenon. The Crimes That Bind (originally titled Las tres muertes de Marisela Escobedo) is one of those. Honestly, it’s not just "another" true crime story. It's a brutal, necessary look at systemic failure in Mexico. If you went into it expecting a simple whodunnit, you probably realized pretty quickly that the "who" isn't the mystery. The mystery is why the hell the system let it happen.
The story follows Marisela Escobedo, a mother from Ciudad Juárez. Her daughter, Ruby Marisol Frayre, was murdered in 2008. Most stories like this end with an arrest, but for Marisela, the arrest was just the start of a much darker saga. It's a story about a mother who turned into an investigator, an activist, and eventually, a target because she refused to let the world look away from her daughter’s killer, Rafael Barraza.
The Reality of Femicide in Ciudad Juárez
When we talk about The Crimes That Bind, we have to talk about the context of Juárez. This isn't just a backdrop. It’s a character. For decades, Juárez has been synonymous with femicide. The documentary highlights a terrifying reality: it is incredibly easy to get away with murder if the victim is a woman.
Marisela didn’t just want justice for Ruby. She was fighting a court system that literally watched a confessed killer walk free. Think about that for a second. Barraza admitted to the crime. He led police to the remains. Yet, judges ruled that there wasn't enough evidence. It’s the kind of detail that makes you want to put your fist through a wall.
The film captures the 2010 trial perfectly. You see the judges sitting there, seemingly indifferent to the mountain of proof. It wasn't a mistake. It was a failure of the "new" oral trial system being implemented in Mexico at the time. Proponents of the reform wanted to ensure the "presumption of innocence," but in this case, it was used as a shield for a murderer.
Why the 2010 Trial Changed Everything
It was a total circus. Rafael Barraza apologized to Marisela in open court. He said he was sorry. Then, the judges acquitted him.
The public outcry was immediate. It wasn’t just Marisela screaming into the void anymore; it was the whole country. This moment in The Crimes That Bind serves as a turning point where a personal tragedy becomes a national movement. Marisela started marches. She walked across Mexico. She set up camp outside the Governor's office in Chihuahua. She knew that if she stopped, the case would die.
The Connection to Organized Crime
Here’s the part where things get really muddy and dangerous. Barraza wasn't just some loner. The documentary suggests, with significant evidence, that he had ties to the Los Zetas cartel. This changes the narrative from a domestic violence case to a story about how organized crime infiltrates every level of the judiciary.
When Marisela pushed for a second trial, she wasn't just fighting a deadbeat boyfriend. She was fighting the Zetas. The film doesn't shy away from the fact that the authorities were likely terrified—or paid off. It’s a recurring theme in Mexican true crime. The line between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" doesn't exist. It’s all just one big, grey mess of corruption and fear.
The Final Act on the Chihuahua Plaza
The footage of Marisela’s final moments is haunting. It’s grainy security camera footage from December 2010. You see her running. You see a man chase her. You see the shot.
She was killed right in front of the Government Palace.
The symbolism is almost too heavy to be real. She died on the doorstep of the people who were supposed to protect her. The Crimes That Bind does an incredible job of showing that her death wasn't a failure of security, but a deliberate silence. The guards inside didn't come out. The police didn't stop the gunman.
Investigating the Investigation
After Marisela was murdered, the government felt the heat. They needed a win. So, they produced "El Wicked"—Jose Enrique Jimenez Zavala. They claimed he was the one who killed Marisela on the orders of the Zetas.
But the documentary asks the questions the police didn't want to answer. Was he really the guy? Or was he just a convenient scapegoat to close a high-profile case? Many activists, and Marisela’s own family, have doubted the official story. They believe the real killer was never truly held accountable for the specific act of silencing Marisela.
Comparing This to Other True Crime
You’ve probably seen Making a Murderer or The Jinx. Those are about the quirks of the legal system or the psychology of a killer. The Crimes That Bind is different. It’s about the soul of a country.
Director Carlos Pérez Osorio focuses on the "Three Deaths" of the title.
- The murder of Ruby.
- The acquittal of her killer.
- The assassination of Marisela.
Each "death" is a layer of systemic failure. It’s a masterclass in documentary filmmaking because it manages to be deeply emotional without feeling exploitative. You feel Marisela’s exhaustion. You see the wear and tear on her face as the years go by and the justice she seeks slips further away.
The Lasting Impact of Marisela Escobedo
Marisela is now a symbol. In the years since the events of The Crimes That Bind, she has become the face of the Ni Una Menos movement in Mexico. Her sons continue to fight from exile in the United States, having had to flee their home because of the same threats that killed their mother.
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The film actually led to a renewed interest in the case. People started asking why the judges who freed Barraza weren't held more accountable. It sparked conversations about the "gender perspective" in Mexican law—or the lack thereof.
Common Misconceptions About the Case
- It wasn't just a " Juárez problem": People often think the violence is contained to border towns. This film shows the corruption reaches the highest levels of state government.
- The killer didn't "get away" initially because of a lack of evidence: There was plenty. It was a procedural failure and, likely, intimidation.
- Marisela wasn't a "trained" activist: She was a nurse and a business owner. She learned how to be an activist because she had no other choice.
Actionable Insights for Viewers and Advocates
Watching something like The Crimes That Bind can leave you feeling pretty hopeless. It's a heavy sit. But the film isn't meant to just make you sad; it's meant to make you look at the structures of power differently.
If you want to understand the current state of human rights in North America, this is required viewing.
What you can actually do:
- Support Organizations Like Justice for Our Daughters: (Justicia para Nuestras Hijas) is a real organization that works with families of disappeared women in Chihuahua. They were instrumental in Marisela’s journey.
- Educate yourself on Femicide Laws: Many countries still don't distinguish between homicide and femicide. Understanding the legal difference helps in advocating for specific protections for women.
- Follow Independent Mexican Journalism: Outlets like Animal Político often cover the follow-up stories that mainstream US media misses. They were some of the first to point out the inconsistencies in the "El Wicked" confession.
- Look for the systemic, not just the individual: When watching true crime, start asking why the system failed, rather than just who did it. That's where the real change happens.
The story of Marisela Escobedo didn't end when the credits rolled. It continues every time a woman in Mexico stands up against a system designed to ignore her. The Crimes That Bind is a testament to the fact that while you can kill a person, it is much harder to kill the movement they started.
To truly honor the legacy of this story, look into the current statistics of femicide in Mexico. The numbers are still staggering, often cited at around 10 women murdered every day. Understanding that Marisela’s fight is still ongoing is the first step toward actual awareness. Check the annual reports from Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch regarding Mexico’s judicial reforms to see where the bottlenecks still exist.