If there’s a genre that always triumphs on Netflix is the true-crime documentaries. The latest title to get into the platform’s Top 10 in the US is “Cooking Up Murder: Uncovering the Story of César Román: Limited Series” which, according to the streamer’s official Top 10, reached the last spot of the most-watched list (TV).
The three-part documentary explores the life and crimes of celebrity chef César Román, especially the murder of Román’s girlfriend, Heidi Paz, in 2018. The series tries to cover all the events that led to the tragic event from both sides of the story.
Román became famous in Madrid, Spain, where he was known as “The King of Cachopo.” after his cachopo tapas became a hit at a tapas fair in 2014. After that, he opened five stores to sell his famous cachopo in the city, becoming a total celebrity.
‘Cooking Up Murder’: The brutal case of Heidi Paz’s murder
After Román became one of the most famous chefs of the Spanish capital, he started to be involved in various scandals. According to Spanish reports, apart from being accused of workplace abuse, he also received a restraining order from a former lover and was arrested for animal abuse. He also collected several debts, and his restaurants started closing.
According to El País, Román disappeared in 2018 and attempted to have a fresh start in Zaragoza. However, it was then when authorities discovered the torso of a woman covered in caustic soda inside a suitcase that same year in August. and DNA reports confirmed that the woman has Paz, Román’s girlfriend.
He was found after the owner of the restaurant where Román was working under the name of Rafael Luján helped facilitate the arrest. After that, police were able to find incriminating evidence, such as Román’s fingerprints on the suitcase and the bottle of caustic soda, as well as the possession of Paz’s cellphone when he was arrested in Zaragoza.
While Román denied his involvement in the crime, the jury found him guilty and sentenced him to 15 years in prison. Now, he has admitted that he did commit the crime. You can watch the full story in ‘Cooking Up Murder’ on Netflix.