Trial over death of Juan Felipe Rincón: five accused and charges of torture and bribery
The judicial process regarding the death of the son of the former Police director enters a critical stage with charges of torture, use of minors and witness bribery.
Trial against those accused in death of son of former Police director enters decisive phase
The judicial process regarding the death of Juan Felipe Rincón, son of former National Police director William Rincón, has reached a determining stage with the formal beginning of trial against five accused. According to pulzo.com, the Public Prosecutor's Office formally charged Juan Sebastián Ávila Ochoa, Camilo Sotelo, Katherine Sotelo Torres and Yeimi Tatiana Vega López with torture, use of minors for the commission of crimes, alteration and concealment of evidence material, and bribery of witnesses.
The case dates back to November 2024 and is marked by a complex plot. The victim allegedly suffered retaliation following alleged sexual conduct on social networks with the daughter of Katherine Sotelo Torres, who initially made the accusations.
Serious injuries and a shooting with unidentified perpetrator
The Public Prosecutor's Office detailed that Juan Felipe Rincón was subjected to physical and psychological punishment. The investigation established that he suffered blunt trauma injuries and burns to the head, back and limbs, in addition to subarachnoid haemorrhage—bleeding in the space outside the brain—and numerous bruises. Despite the severity of the attack, the person who fired the shot that caused his death has not been identified to date.
Initial focus of the process fell on Camilo Sotelo, identified as the alleged perpetrator of the homicide. However, the investigation failed to establish that he had fired the weapon: it was established that the pistol he carried was homemade—known as "hechiza"—and came apart during the violent events.
Social media and deception as method
Alongside that line of investigation, the Public Prosecutor's Office maintains that the victim was contacted through fake profiles on social media and led under false pretences to the scene. To do this, an adolescent was allegedly used, under the pretext of stealing her mobile phone. It was there that Juan Felipe Rincón allegedly was intercepted and attacked by several people.
This element is central to one of the most debated charges in the process: the use of minors for the commission of crimes.
The defence questions the charges
Defence lawyers have argued that the charges are disproportionate, particularly those related to torture and use of minors. According to the defence, the evidence would indicate that the adolescent participated voluntarily, and that the conduct attributed to the accused does not necessarily fit the criminal offences charged by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
Next steps: preparatory hearing
In the coming days, both the Public Prosecutor's Office and the defence will present their evidence before the judge, who will determine which will be admitted in the preparatory hearing. That decision will set the course of the trial and define the elements on which the oral proceedings will be based.
Source: Google News CO — Crime