Defendant reveals how Martín Pérez died: he jumped from car and was shot four times in Colina
An 18-year-old defendant stated that Martín Pérez jumped from the moving vehicle near Colina and was shot four times by one of his captors.
Defendant states that Martín Pérez attempted to escape from car and was executed near Colina
According to biobiochile.cl, Oswal Anniel Moreno Prieto, aged 18, gave a detailed statement about the kidnapping and murder of young Martín Pérez, whose body was found in Colina following his disappearance in Estación Central. Moreno, one of the defendants formalised on Monday, recounted that the victim attempted to escape by jumping from the moving car as they approached that locality, and was shot four times by one of his captors.
Moreno stated that he arrived in Chile with his grandmother five years ago, studied mechanics, and after failing to find stable employment, began participating in kidnappings. "I started doing other jobs with some guys who dedicate themselves to kidnapping," he said according to the account recorded by the outlet.
According to his testimony, two days before the crime he received a message via WhatsApp informing him of a new "job": they were to kidnap a young Chilean, identified as the son of a drug trafficker, and demand money from the father. The coordinators also indicated that the victim would provide them with a weapon.
On Monday 26 October, around 20:00 hours, Moreno received instructions to go to Placilla Street, in Estación Central. Together with Carlos Isaac Álvarez Franco—with whom he had already "worked" before—and a minor of Venezuelan nationality whom they called "Ñañito", they rented a car and picked up Martín Pérez in the area.
Once inside the vehicle, Moreno informed the victim that he was being kidnapped. "He got tough, said that he was also a criminal, so I showed him the pistol and he calmed down a bit more," he declared.
The three kidnappers were driven by their coordinators to an abandoned factory in Quinta Normal, where a man with a cast on his leg provided them with the space. They held Martín there for hours, demanding 100 million pesos from his father for his release. The victim indicated that his father would not pay that sum, but in a group call the father apparently agreed to pay the amount.
Given the delay in payment, the captors began to beat Martín and threaten him with a weapon, an episode which they recorded on video. In communications with the coordinators, these emphasised that the victim's father was a trafficker and that the kidnapping sought to collect a pending debt from him.
The father made some transfers that did not cover what was demanded. Around 04:45 hours, the captors received instructions to abandon the premises before 05:00 and move to a new location in Colina.
During the journey, as they approached that destination, Martín Pérez attempted to escape. "When we were on our way, we had already gone quite far, I think we were arriving at Colina, I realise the Chilean jumped from the car," Moreno recounted. The "Ñañito" got out of the vehicle, chased the victim and fired four times. Moreno admitted not being certain whether all the shots hit Martín, although the third participant mentioned having seen him fall amongst wires and sticks.
Following the incident, the three returned to Santiago and informed their coordinators. They left "Ñañito" near San Alberto Hurtado Metro station and parked the vehicle on Nicasio Retamales Street. Moreno maintained that he did not receive money for the kidnapping.
In his statement, the defendant mentioned two nicknames linked to the coordinators: "Chuky" and "Turco". "Chuky" had apparently helped him flee when he learned he was in trouble and would be detained in Concepción; regarding "Turco", Moreno said he did not know his situation.
The case is being investigated by the Metropolitan ECOH Public Prosecutor's Office. Prosecutor Jonathan Coloma reported that on Monday three defendants were formalised—including Moreno—who were placed in preventive detention. They join a first defendant who faced justice on Friday, whilst a fifth person detained in flagrante delicto was formalised for trafficking small quantities.
Moreno had been detained on 30 October together with Carlos Isaac Álvarez Franco, according to Meganoticias.
Source: Google News CL — Crime