Juan Peña arrested for homicide of Sofía Sánchez, former participant in "Mamá a los 15"
The PDI arrested the principal suspect in the homicide of Sofía Sánchez Marinkovic, who disappeared on 24 August in Peñalolén. The suspect was remanded in custody pending trial.
Suspect arrested in death of Sofía Sánchez, former star of TVN docureality
The PDI's Brigade for Investigation of Missing Persons arrested Juan Peña, the principal suspect in the homicide of Sofía Sánchez Marinkovic, a homeless woman who disappeared on 24 August 2026 in the municipality of Peñalolén. According to biobiochile.cl, the Public Prosecutor's Office formally charged Peña as the perpetrator of homicide and the court ordered his remand in custody pending trial.
Sánchez Marinkovic became known in 2015 after participating in the TVN docureality Mamá a los 15. At the time of her disappearance, she was living on the streets, so initially a report was filed for suspected misadventure.
Witnesses place suspect at crime scene
The chief prosecutor for the La Florida and Peñalolén Public Prosecutor's Office, Pamela Valdés, explained that the investigation determined that the suspect allegedly attacked the victim brutally with a blunt object inside one of the makeshift shelters in the area, before throwing her body into the San Carlos canal. Sánchez Marinkovic's body has not yet been found.
Two witnesses place Peña attacking the victim and throwing her body into the canal, according to evidence presented by the prosecutor to the court.
Inspector Nicole Jiménez of the Metropolitan Brigade for Location of Persons (BRIUP) stated that "through various procedures and statements from witnesses, who identified a male subject, he would have been the possible perpetrator of the disappearance and homicide of Sofía Sánchez Marinkovic, who disappeared on 24 August 2026 in the municipality of Peñalolén, after being in a homeless situation".
"As a result of this, the Brigade for Location of Persons managed to locate and arrest this individual, who was placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office", Jiménez added.
The suspect shared the victim's homeless status
PDI detectives established, through criminal analysis, interviews and background investigation, that the victim was approached by a male subject who was also living on the streets at the time of the events. The investigation points to that individual as the person materially responsible for the homicide and subsequent concealment of the body.
The PDI sought from the courts the corresponding verbal arrest warrant for homicide. Following Peña's capture, he was placed at the disposal of the Public Prosecutor's Office for the detention control hearing and formalisation of charges.
Remand in custody due to danger to society
The court granted the prosecutor's request and ordered the remand in custody of the suspect. According to Valdés, there is sufficient evidence to establish the commission of the crime and Peña's involvement, and it was further determined that his release would pose a danger to public safety.
The body of Sofía Sánchez Marinkovic remains unfound, and efforts to search for her in the San Carlos canal are ongoing.
Source: Google News CL — Crime