José Victoriano Martínez Rojas died that day at 5:55 hours, at the Hospital de Rancagua, due to uremic coma and bilateral polycystic kidneys, as stated in his Death Certificate.

José Martínez, a Communist militant and caretaker of the premises that the party maintained in San Fernando, was arrested on 14 July 1974 by officials of the Policía de Investigaciones, accused of violating the State Internal Security Law, and transferred to the Cuartel de Investigaciones in Rancagua.

At this facility, eyewitnesses confirm that he was subjected to torture and mistreatment. Later, he was taken to the Comisaría de Carabineros and subsequently admitted to the city jail as a defendant.

Upon entering the jail, he was already in very poor physical condition, but he was nonetheless taken out on two occasions by officials of the Policía de Investigaciones for further interrogation.

On 10 September, he was held incommunicado by judicial order, and on the 25th of that same month, Gendarmería officials transferred him in serious condition to the Emergency Service of the Regional Hospital, where he passed away two days later.

Considering the evidence gathered by this Corporation, the Superior Council concluded that the beatings and torture to which he was subjected by State agents during his detention precipitated his death, which, furthermore, could have been avoided with timely care. For that reason, it declared José Victoriano Martínez Rojas a victim of human rights violations.