Pablo Goncálvez Gallareta was born on March 6, 1970, in Bilbao, Spain. He was the son of Hamlet Goncálvez, a diplomat who represented Uruguay in Spain. Pablo's early years were spent in Spain until he moved to Uruguay at the age of nine. He settled in the Carrasco neighborhood of Montevideo.

In Carrasco, Pablo attended primary school at Stella Maris College. He later completed his high school studies at a public high school in the area. He grew up as a member of Montevideo's high society. After finishing high school, Pablo went on to study economic sciences at the Faculty of Economic Sciences at the University of the Republic in Uruguay.
 

Pablo Goncálvez Gallareta committed a series of three murders in Uruguay in 1992. The first victim was Ana Luisa Miller Sichero, a 26-year-old history teacher. Her murder took place on January 1, 1992. She was suffocated and then found abandoned on the beach of Solymar. The police initially suspected her boyfriend, Hugo Sapelli, but he passed a polygraph test, and there was no evidence against him.

The second victim was Andrea Castro, a 15-year-old girl. She was murdered on September 20, 1992, after leaving a disco in Montevideo. She was also suffocated, and Goncálvez left a tie around her neck, which became a signature of his crimes. This detail later helped the prosecution build their case against him once similar ties were found in his possession.

The third victim was María Victoria Williams, a 22-year-old neighbor of Goncálvez. He deceived her into believing his grandmother was in distress, prompting her to enter his home. Inside, he strangled her and used a nylon bag to ensure she died. Following the murder, he fled to Brazil, where he was eventually arrested.

After being caught in Brazil, Goncálvez was returned to Uruguay. He was tried for the murders and sentenced to 30 years in prison. Throughout the trial, he pleaded not guilty to all charges.

On March 6, 1999, Goncálvez was attacked by other inmates and suffered 26 stab wounds. He was taken to the hospital but was later transferred to Central Prison. He married while imprisoned in 2005, but the couple divorced ten years later. Despite requests for early release, he had to serve his full sentence.

Goncálvez was released on June 23, 2016, after completing 30 years in prison. His release garnered a lot of media attention, as he was considered Uruguay's first identified serial killer. In 2017, he was arrested again in Paraguay for having an unregistered weapon and cocaine.