How did Griselda Blanco’s sons die? True story explained

Sofia Vergara as Griselda BlancoNetflix

2024 saw the arrival of Griselda, a Netflix series in which Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara portrays the infamous drug lord, Griselda Blanco. In real life, she experienced numerous tragedies when three of her sons died.

Charting the reign of the Colombian drug lord’s cocaine trade in 1980s Miami, Griselda looks at why Blanco originally fled her home country, alongside the aftermath.

The Black Widow Griselda’s story made it one of the best TV shows for viewers who like to explore seedy underbellies.

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With that in mind, viewers might be wondering about Griselda Blanco’s children after they were depicted in the show. So, here’s how her sons died.

How Griselda Blanco’s sons died

Three of Griselda Blanco’s sons have died, two of which were reported shootings. Osvaldo or “Ozzy”, Dixon, and Uber were killed before their mother died in 2012.

The deaths are touched on in Netflix’s limited series, with Dixon being targeted while returning by foot to his car. Ozzy was approached and killed in a nightclub, while Uber was shot in Colombia, carrying out a drug deal.

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Sofía Vergara as Griselda BlancoNetflix

It has been implied in reports from outlets like CBS News, which corroborated the murders, that they were targeted in relation to their mother’s actions.

When did Griselda Blanco’s sons die?

The exact dates of Ozzy, Dixon, and Uber’s deaths are unknown, but we know they were all killed before Griselda was released from prison in 2004.

Meanwhile, Michael was raised by his paternal grandfather and other legal guardians while his mother was imprisoned.

How many kids did Griselda have?

Griselda had four sons: Dixon, Uber, and Osvaldo Trujillo-Blanco, and the youngest, Michael Corleone Blanco.

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The oldest was Dixon, followed by Uber and Osvaldo. They were all born before Griselda turned 21 years old. Michael Corleone was the youngest.

Sofía Vergara as Griselda BlancoNetflix

Is Michael Corleone really Griselda’s son?

Yes, Michael Corleone was Griselda’s fourth and final child.

She had Michael with her third husband, Darío Sepúlveda. Michael stayed with Griselda until a brief period in 1983, when Darío kidnapped him after a custody disagreement. Eventually, Griselda paid to have Darío assassinated, at which point Michael was returned to her in the US.

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What happened to Michael?

Michael Corleone Blanco — named after The Godfather — is Griselda’s only surviving son, and he’s not happy about the series.

Blanco initially filed a 10-page motion claiming that the streaming platform had stolen his “private artistic literary work” after two former partners allegedly informed Netflix without consent.

Griselda creators fired back at the blossoming lawsuit, stating that it “isn’t their first rodeo” after also being responsible for Narcos and Narcos Mexico. In February 2024, The Hollywood Reporter obtained court documents showing the lawsuit had been settled.

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In 2020, Blanco told The Mirror about Griselda: “My mother was no saint. She had to survive to do her thing. But at the end of the day, she was my mother. I will forever honor and respect her. I love her.”

How Griselda died

Griselda Blanco was killed in Colombia in 2012 in a drive-by shooting by an unknown assailant on a motorcycle.

After a lengthy prison sentence for conspiring to manufacture, import, and distribute cocaine – and later for second-degree murder – Blanco returned to Medellín in 2004 under the proviso of ongoing health issues. She had suffered from a heart attack two years prior. Griselda was last seen in public in 2007.

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Griselda is available to stream on Netflix. If you’re looking for some fresh content, check out our roundup of the TV shows streaming this month. And if it’s true crime you’re after, look at the new documentaries streaming. Or, find out if Griselda Blanco knew Pablo Escobar.