On June 7, 1968, the leader of ETA, Txabi Etxebarrieta, crossed "the invisible line" assassinating the first of the 853 victims of the terrorist organization, the Galician Civil Guard José Antonio Pardines, only 25 years old. A few hours later, Txabi Etxebarrieta himself was killed in a confrontation with the civil guard, thus becoming the first terrorist to kill and the first to die in ETA's history. After the death of their leader, Txabi's companions decided to avenge him by murdering his main persecutor, Inspector Melitón Manzanas.
