Woman accused of helping stepbrother murder parents says she feared he would kill her

'I did not kill. I have a clear conscience'

The parents were killed in Pilar, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires (Getty Images)

The woman released without charge after being accused of helping her stepbrother murder their parents has said she feared he would kill her.

Karen Klein's brother, Leandro Yamil Acosta, admitted to shooting his stepfather Ricardo Ignacio Klein, 54, and mother Miryam Esther Kowalczuk, 52, in their home in Pilar, in the province of Buenos Aires.

Mr Acosta, who has also admitted having sex with the bodies and eating part of his stepfather’s flesh, then burned the bodies and fed the remains to the family’s dogs.

Police also arrested 22-year-old Ms Klein. However, she was released on Monday after the court said there was not enough evidence to charge her with the murders.

Ms Klein said she had been asleep when the murders took place and had only helped clean up the bodies because she feared for her life, according to News.com.au reported.

After being cleared, Ms Klein said: “I did not kill. I have a clear conscience.”

“My only mistake was not having denounced and I did not because [Acosta] was going to kill me and my brothers.”

It was claimed by local media that Ms Klein and Acosta were lovers.

Police recovered £5,000 and a number of items including a 9mm revolver, a machete and a pitchfork from the scene, MirrorOnline reported.

Acosta claimed his parents abused him when he was younger and that they were also abusing his 11-year-old twin stepbrothers. He claimed he wanted to protect them.

Prosecutor Marcelo Vaiani said the crime was motivated because Acosta wanted to be left with the property and money, MailOnline reported.