Remand in custody for two suspects in murder of footballer Mario Pineida in Guayaquil
An Ecuadorian judge ordered remand in custody for two suspects in the murder of footballer Mario Pineida and his partner in Guayaquil. One was detained at a hotel.
Two arrested following murder of Ecuadorian footballer Mario Pineida in Guayaquil
An Ecuadorian judge issued an order for remand in custody against two alleged perpetrators in the murder of footballer Mario Pineida, the Public Prosecutor's Office reported on Friday, according to reports by latimes.com. The incident occurs within a context of escalating violence in the Andean country at the end of 2025.
Pineida, a former international player who was with Barcelona Sporting Club in the Serie A, died on Wednesday in an armed attack in the coastal city of Guayaquil. His partner, Guiselle Fernández, also died in the same attack, whilst his mother was wounded, police confirmed.
Two days after the crime, the Public Prosecutor's Office stated via X that remand in custody was ordered against Cristian P. G. and Jimnery P. B. "for their alleged participation" in the murder of both victims, after presenting evidence before the judge.
Hours later, the institution clarified in a statement that one of the suspects was detained at a hotel, thanks to investigative procedures and collaboration from Guayaquil's security company. The detained person reportedly provided information that enabled the arrest of the second perpetrator.
As evidence, the Public Prosecutor's Office presented bank transfer receipts, security camera reports and audio and video forensics. During the operations, ammunition, a chequebook and mobile phones, amongst other items, were seized. Police indicated that the detained persons are foreign nationals, without specifying their nationality.
The murder was recorded on security cameras: the images show Pineida leaving a meat sales outlet, at which point two individuals—one wearing a motorcycle helmet and the other wearing a cap—point firearms at him and open fire against him and the woman accompanying him. The authorities have not made an official statement regarding the released video.
The incident is not the first involving footballers within the framework of the growing wave of violence sweeping Ecuador. In November, Miguel Nazareno, a 16-year-old player from Independiente del Valle, died from a stray bullet in Guayaquil. In September, Maicol Valencia and Leandro Yépez, both from Exapromo Costa, and Jonathan González, from 22 de Junio, also died from gunshot wounds, all players from clubs in the National Ascent division.
Pineida played as a full-back for Barcelona from 2016, the year the club won the national championship, a title it repeated in 2020 with the same team. In 2021 he wore the jersey of Fluminense from Brazil, and played nine matches for the Ecuadorian national team.
Source: Google News EC — Guayaquil