Renowned Mexican matador Luis Montoya murders his bookkeeper Hector Rangel by shooting him with a tranquilizer dart and then unleashing a notoriously ill-tempered bull on him. Montoya's plan is to make it look like Hector tried to kill the bull that had gored his son Curro a few days earlier. Unfortunately for Montoya, Columbo (and his invisible wife) are on holiday in Mexico at the time. Columbo gets involved in a car accident and is detained by the police while the accident is sorted out. The local Mexican police force knows of Columbo's reputation and enlists his help in the Hector Rangel case.