Two men sentenced to 37 years for killing of student in Barrios Unidos, Bogotá
A criminal judge sentenced Juan Carlos Suárez Ortiz and Ricardo González Castro to 37 years and six months in prison for beating a university student to death in Bogotá on 31 October 2025.
Beating of student in Barrios Unidos leaves two men sentenced to more than 37 years in prison
A criminal trial judge sentenced Juan Carlos Suárez Ortiz and Ricardo Rafael González Castro to 37 years and six months in prison for the aggravated homicide of a university student, which occurred on 31 October 2025 in the Barrios Unidos locality in Bogotá. This was reported by analisisurbano.org based on official information from the Office of the Attorney General of the Nation.
The sentence was issued after the judge evaluated the evidence presented by the prosecution during oral trial, including security camera footage that made it possible to reconstruct the moments before the assault and the manner in which the victim was attacked.
According to the investigation conducted by a prosecutor from the Life Unit of the Bogotá Branch Office, Suárez Ortiz intercepted and attacked the student as he was leaving a commercial establishment. The young man chose not to respond and left the location with another person, with the intention of finding transport and avoiding escalation of the incident.
Security camera footage showed, however, that the two attackers followed the university student until they caught up with him at a street corner. At that point, González Castro struck him with a kick to the back that knocked him to the ground. When the victim was already defenceless, Suárez Ortiz continued beating him despite the student being in no condition to defend himself.
After the attack, both men left the location. The young man was taken to a medical facility due to the severity of injuries he sustained in different parts of his body, but died hours later despite receiving medical attention.
Based on the evidence presented during the proceedings, the judge found the two men responsible for the crime of aggravated homicide and imposed the sentence of 37 years and six months in prison. They were also banned from exercising rights and public functions for the same period. Both remain deprived of liberty in a penal institution.
The prosecution clarified that the sentence corresponds to first instance, which means that legal remedies established by law still apply against this decision.
Source: Google News CO — Bogotá