Kriti Mehrotra
As a documentary series revisiting the alleged crimes of José Luis Calva Zepeda, HBO Max’s ‘Cannibal Poet’ chronicles how a charismatic man turned out to be a heinous monster. The Mexican actor, performer, and writer not only confessed to murdering his girlfriend following his arrest in 2007, but it’s believed he is responsible for at least 2 other similar offenses. What’s worse is that the suspected serial killer allegedly even engaged in cannibalism with his purported victims, most especially the final one — his girlfriend, Alejandra Galeana.
Authorities Uncovered Significant Evidence Consistent With Cannibalism Inside José Luis Calva Zepeda’s Home
When Alejandra Galeana suddenly disappeared without a trace left behind on October 5, 2007, her loved ones knew something was amiss because it wasn’t like her to go radio silent. The 32-year-old mother of 2 was reliable and responsible, so she followed her routine and left home early in the morning to head to her workplace at a local pharmacy, but she never clocked in. What ensued was an extensive search for her that ultimately led officials to her boyfriend of close to 2 months, José Luis Calva Zepeda – the couple had first met on August 11, 2007.
It was on October 28 when officials came to José’s 198 Mosqueta Street apartment in the Guerrero neighborhood of Mexico City, Mexico, and knocked on his front door. According to records, he immediately tried to flee the scene by jumping through a window, only to severely injure himself and be captured soon thereafter. He had been eating a dish of meat seasoned solely with lemon, which investigators later ascertained was human flesh belonging to his now-deceased girlfriend. As per reports, there was a strong smell of decomposition everywhere inside his home, and Alejandra’s mutilated remains were found in a fetal position in his bedroom closet.
When forensic experts subsequently began documenting the scene, they noted his plate with the burnt meat remains and found the same meat tissue in a frying pan on the stove. They also uncovered a box of cereal filled with what appeared to be human bones and muscles, which matched the exact ones Alejandra’s remains were missing. As if that’s not enough, according to official records, there was also human flesh stored in 2 bags inside the refrigerator, as well as a lot of blood spatter on almost every wall and floor. The ensuing investigations further revealed he likely used two kitchen knives and a box cutter to dismember his victim after beating and strangling her to death.
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José Luis Calva Zepeda’s Initial Confession and Written Work Also Pointed Towards His Being a Cannibal
Alejandra’s autopsy report confirmed she was physically assaulted and asphyxiated to death, with her remains displaying signs of a severe beating, a fractured skull, and cranial trauma. When José was interrogated following his arrest, he reportedly admitted to killing his girlfriend during a violent argument before consuming her remains over the next few days. He also stated he did so while under the continuous influence of alcohol and drugs, but he later recanted the part where he incriminated himself as a cannibal by denying ever eating her. In the end, it could never be legally ascertained whether he engaged in cannibalism or not because he died by suicide in his jail cell while awaiting trial on December 11.
Nevertheless, the officials involved in the case still believe José was a cannibal because of not only his initial confession but also all the evidence recovered from inside his home. The fact that there were horror-themed manuscripts and a picture of the famous fictional cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter from ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ on his desk didn’t help curb suspicions either. However, arguably the most incriminating thing detectives had found was his unfinished autobiographical or fictional book titled ‘Cannibal Instincts or 12 Days,’ which was reportedly extremely detailed and very gory. According to the docuseries, one of his original works read, in part, “When intrigue arises, when memories return, when revenge takes over, when time speeds up, when passion intensifies, cannibal instincts emerge.”
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