Elderly man murdered at poultry farm in Cochabamba; employer charged
Carlos R., aged 64, died after being attacked at a poultry farm in Huañacota, Santiváñez. His employer was charged with murder following a dispute over unpaid wages.
Public prosecutor charges poultry farm owner with death of worker in Santiváñez
The public prosecutor's office in Cochabamba is investigating the violent death of Carlos R., aged 64, which occurred on Friday, 6 November at a poultry farm located in the community of Huañacota, municipality of Santiváñez. According to lapatria.bo, the owner of the establishment, Juan S.G.E., aged 58, was formally charged with the crime of murder.
The departmental prosecutor of Cochabamba, Eddy Ordóñez, confirmed that on that day Carlos R. went to the farm where he carried out cleaning and maintenance work on a water tank alongside his employer. During the course of that day, the two men had a confrontation linked to an outstanding debt for social benefits and severance pay. The victim's body was taken to Santiváñez Hospital on the same 6 November.
"As a result of this confrontation arising from an alleged debt for severance pay, there was apparently a brawl in which the victim died. As the Public Ministry we are conducting a rigorous investigation, supported by scientific evidence and witness statements that made it possible to establish that the victim's death would not correspond to a workplace accident, but to a violent act," Ordóñez stated.
The medical-legal autopsy determined that the cause of death was closed craniocerebral trauma, with right temporooccipital subdural haemorrhage and fracture of the right temporal bone. The examination also revealed closed thoracic trauma, fractures in five right rib arcs and restraint marks on both arms.
The victim's daughter, whose statement was collected during the investigation, confirmed that her father had demanded payment of approximately 10,500 bolivianos corresponding to social benefits and severance pay accumulated over approximately eight years of work at the farm. This background constitutes one of the principal investigative lines for establishing the motive for the act.
After collecting evidence at the scene and taking statements, the Police and the Public Ministry proceeded to arrest the employer. Juan S.G.E. is currently awaiting his hearing on precautionary measures while the prosecutor's office continues gathering scientific evidence and testimony to support the case.
Source: Google News BO — Crime