Murder of 'Jhon Calzones' in Yopal points to FARC dissidents of 'Iván Mordisco'
The investigation into the former mayor of Yopal's homicide is turning towards FARC dissident structures. A captured minor has accepted charges and said he worked for the guerrilla group.
New clues link FARC dissidents to the murder of Yopal's former mayor
According to reporting by elcolombiano.com, the investigation into the murder of Jhon Jairo Torres Torres—known as 'Jhon Calzones' and former mayor of Yopal—has taken a significant turn: investigators are now following a line pointing towards members or former members of structures linked to the FARC dissidents under the command of 'Iván Mordisco'.
Torres was murdered on 29 September at the La Selvita farm, in rural Yopal, Casanare. Two armed men arrived at the location, shot the former mayor, and fled on a motorcycle. During the subsequent operation, authorities captured a 17-year-old minor from Armenia, who allegedly participated in the attack.
The alias 'Eduard' and Front 28
Analysis of security footage and a confiscated mobile phone allowed investigators to advance in identifying one of the suspected perpetrators. It is a man known by the alias 'Eduard', currently wanted by authorities.
According to the case file cited by El Tiempo, 'Eduard' would be a member of Front 28 of the dissidents and would have served the function of driving the motorcycle used during the murder. Investigators also established a possible connection with the Jaime Martínez Front of the Western Bloc, a structure equally linked to 'Iván Mordisco'. This hypothesis forms part of the lines currently being verified.
Disputes over extortion, a possible motive
The case file has not yet conclusively established who ordered the crime or what the final motive was. One of the central hypotheses points to a dispute related to the payment of extortions.
A source linked to the investigation, cited by El Tiempo, indicates that the alias 'Antonio Medina' would have issued the order to kill Torres because the former mayor allegedly paid extortions to the ELN and not to 'Mordisco's' structure. This version continues under verification.
Another line led investigators to the alias 'Mara', who remains held in El Barne prison in Boyacá, identified as a possible coordinator of the attack. The investigation also led to José Alcides Ramírez, held in Cómbita prison in Boyacá, for a process related to extortion, although the document does not establish that Ramírez issued the final order.
Security cameras reconstruct the route
Material recorded by security cameras and delivered by the Governorship made it possible to reconstruct part of the movements prior to the crime. The images would have made it possible to establish the route followed by the suspected perpetrators from their entry into Yopal in the early morning, identify the place where they stayed, and trace their movements to the La Selvita farm.
These elements form part of the evidence that authorities are using to determine how the murder was planned and executed.
The captured minor accepts charges
The 17-year-old adolescent captured during the operation has accepted charges before authorities and stated that he also worked for the guerrilla group. According to the case file, the minor has three investigation processes for murder, unlawful recruitment and aggravated theft, in addition to two previous arrests for theft from persons. The information he provided is being contrasted with the other material evidence in the investigation.
The stolen motorcycle, another thread to resolve
An additional element that investigators are attempting to connect to the crime is the motorcycle found at the scene. The vehicle had been stolen from Bernabé Jiménez, murdered one day before the attack on Torres—on 28 September—in the Caño Chiquito district in Paz de Ariporo.
The presence of that motorcycle at the location of the murder opened a new line of investigation: authorities are seeking to determine whether both events are related and whether the theft of the vehicle formed part of the preparation for the attack on the former mayor.
Source: Google News CO — Crime