Suspect in driver's murder in Santiago repatriated from Jamaica
Jhovanny de Jesús Metz, principal suspect in the killing of a driver for the Santiago Municipal Authority, was repatriated from Jamaica on Tuesday.
Repatriation from Jamaica of defendant in killing of Santiago driver
According to ultimasnoticias.com.do, the Dominican Public Ministry secured the repatriation of Jhovanny de Jesús Metz, the principal suspect in the murder of driver Deivy Carlos Abreu Quezada, which occurred in April of last year in Santiago province. The defendant arrived Tuesday afternoon at the Américas International Airport (AILA) on a flight from Jamaica.
The repatriation process was carried out with the collaboration of International Police (Interpol) and the Ministry of Foreign Relations. De Jesús Metz had been detained in August in Jamaica for immigration reasons.
Eight defendants in the crime
The Dominican is implicated in the murder along with seven other motorcyclists who are being held in preventive detention in connection with the case since April. On that date, the Judicial Office for Permanent Care Services in Santiago imposed that measure on Adony Antonio Ureña Ventura, Andrés Monclú González, Carlos Andrés Roa Morán, Miguel García Balbuena, Joanfry Joel Núñez, Juan Carlos Soto Ortiz and Kevin Francisco Metz Cruz, who are being held in different penitentiaries in the northern part of the country.
The investigation establishes that the group acted in a coordinated manner to pursue, intercept and kill Abreu Quezada, a driver of a solid waste collection truck for the Santiago Municipal Authority. The victim died while receiving medical care at Presidente Estrella Ureña Social Security Hospital.
Pursuit over several kilometres
The events began on Circunvalación Sur, in the Ensanche Bermúdez sector, where De Jesús Metz and the other motorcyclists intercepted the truck driver claiming an alleged vehicle contact. Upon perceiving the aggressiveness of the group, Abreu Quezada did not stop.
De Jesús Metz placed his motorcycle in front of the truck to force it to stop, but the victim continued driving and dragged the motorcycle. The defendants pursued him for several kilometres to the car park of the Santiago Palace of Justice, which the driver entered seeking refuge.
Video evidence and seized weapon
The Santiago Prosecutor's Office, through its Department of Physical Violence (Homicides), gathered material, documentary and testimonial evidence that accredits that the defendants acted as a criminal mob. The video recordings capture how they shouted "kill him, kill him" during the pursuit.
Among the evidence in the possession of the Public Ministry is a black hunting knife with which one of the defendants inflicted a fatal wound on Abreu Quezada's right lower limb. The Prosecutor's Office further stated that it has no evidence that accredits injuries on any of the motorcyclists.
As a provisional legal classification, the first seven arrested face charges for violation of articles 265, 266, 296, 297 and 302 of the Dominican Penal Code. The Santiago Prosecutor's Office is undertaking the necessary procedures to present De Jesús Metz before the corresponding court in the coming hours, in order to continue legal proceedings against him for the murder of Abreu Quezada.
Source: Google News CL — Santiago