Discovery and Investigation
Emile Maxim St. Patrick Higgins, 55, was found dead on Monday in Libertad, a locality in the Merlo district of Buenos Aires province. A bus driver from line 216 alerted authorities after seeing him lying on a street in a fetal position. The witness said Higgins had been wandering the area for over 20 days.[S1]
Police confirmed his death at the scene. The Functional Instruction Unit No. 3 of Morón opened a case labeled 'investigation of causes of death' and ordered an autopsy. Initial examinations found no signs of violence or third-party intervention, suggesting a possible natural death, but the autopsy will provide definitive answers.[S1][S3][S5]
The Rise and Fall of a Promoter
In 2007, Higgins arrived in Argentina with grand promises. He announced the construction of a Disney World on a 132-hectare property he claimed to own in San Pedro, Buenos Aires. He also launched 'World Football Idol', a reality show to find new football talent, with Diego Maradona as a key figure. The event featured performances by artists like La Sole, Los Nocheros, Gloria Gaynor, and Miranda!, with Sergio Goycochea as host.[S1][S2][S4]
Despite the glitz, the projects failed. Disney publicly denied any connection to the initiative, and the reality show attracted only about 30 participants in its first call. Higgins, who styled himself as the 'King of Entertainment', later faced accusations of fraud, including issuing bad checks in the US and England, according to his ex-wife Sandra Zapata. His lands in San Pedro were eventually embargoed.[S1][S3][S4]
A Life on the Streets
In recent years, Higgins lived in extreme vulnerability. In April 2021, during the pandemic, LA NACION interviewed him while he was homeless on Avenida del Libertador, near Patio Bullrich. He claimed to have about US$7.5 million 'retained by the State' and a house in Puerto Madero, and still spoke of continuing his theme park project. He said neighbors provided him with food and money.[S1]
His final days were spent on the streets of Libertad, where he was found dead on a mattress near a bus stop on Avenida Bella Vista at 5600. The investigation continues, and authorities are trying to locate relatives to claim his remains.[S4][S6]
