Martín Pérez case: five foreign nationals arrested for kidnapping and homicide in Colina
The Metropolitan ECOH Public Prosecutor's Office is proceeding with the formalisation of those accused in the kidnapping and death of the 19-year-old youth found in Colina on 30 October.
Accused in kidnapping and homicide of youth found in Colina formalised
The case involving the kidnapping and homicide of Martín Pérez Burgos, aged 19, will see a new court hearing this Saturday at the Santiago Justice Centre, according to Google News CL — Crime. Two of the detainees will be presented before the court, and the Public Prosecutor would request to extend their detention until Monday to continue with the proceedings.
The hearings are being conducted in a staggered manner, given that the arrests occurred at different times. One of the accused has already been formalised and remanded in preventive custody. Another appeared before the court on Friday and his detention was extended until Monday.
In total, five foreign nationals were arrested in connection with the case. A woman apprehended during the operation was not formalised, as no significant participation in the events has been established to date.
The youth was deceived into boarding the vehicle
Martín Pérez Burgos went missing on Monday 26 October after arriving at Estación Central to meet with other people. According to the acting head prosecutor of the Metropolitan ECOH, Pablo Sabaj, the youth arrived at the location voluntarily, but was deceived into boarding the vehicle in which the kidnapping began.
One of the hypotheses under investigation suggests that the meeting could have been related to an alleged drug purchase. Sabaj clarified that this line of inquiry forms part of the proceedings and has not been established as a definitive fact.
Following the kidnapping, Martín was allegedly moved to various locations used to keep him in captivity. His captors then began to communicate with his family and demanded approximately 50 million pesos in exchange for his release. During the extortion, they sent a recording in which the youth appeared threatened with a weapon. The family provided part of the requested money.
He died hours after the kidnapping
A key piece of evidence established by the investigation is that Martín is believed to have died hours after being kidnapped, before the ransom negotiations were concluded.
"All negotiations that took place regarding payment, what was requested in the extortion, were conducted with the victim already deceased," affirmed prosecutor Sabaj.
The Public Prosecutor thus ruled out that death had occurred following the breakdown of money negotiations. Preliminary evidence indicates that those involved in the extortion continued demanding money despite the fact that Martín had already been murdered.
The youth's body was located during the afternoon of Friday 30 October in the municipality of Colina. Carabineros confirmed that the homicide is believed to have occurred in parallel with or shortly after the kidnapping. Forensic examinations are seeking to clarify the circumstances and exact moment of death.
The plan is believed to have been organised from within a prison
Another investigative line concerns the planning of the kidnapping. According to Sabaj, the evidence gathered to date indicates that the initial idea and first instructions to carry out the crime are believed to have come from inside a penitentiary facility.
The Public Prosecutor also reported that four of the five detainees would be directly connected to the kidnapping. Among those arrested would be the person believed to have killed Martín.
The specific participation of each accused will need to be established during the investigation and the respective hearings. The proceedings continue to determine whether there are other people involved in the planning, execution, or subsequent extortion linked to the crime.
The Metropolitan ECOH Public Prosecutor's Office and the OS9 Department of Carabineros are leading the investigation into the case.
Source: Google News CL — Crime