Kidnapping and narco murder in Pedro Juan Caballero: victim had dual identity
An armed group of about 10 men kidnapped Marcelo Juan Ortiz Narvaja and executed his Brazilian partner on the street. The Public Prosecutor's Office confirmed that the kidnapped man possessed both Paraguayan and Brazilian documentation.
Narco operation in Pedro Juan Caballero leaves one woman dead and a man abducted with dual identity
A team of approximately 10 men dressed in black tactical gear and armed with assault rifles burst into a residence in the Obrero neighbourhood of Pedro Juan Caballero early Monday morning at around 4:00 a.m., at the intersection of Valois Rivarola and Choferes del Chaco streets. The operation, which lasted less than three minutes, concluded with the kidnapping of a man and the execution of his partner on the street, according to fenix951.com.ar.
The abducted man was identified by prosecutor Emilio Álvarez as Marcelo Juan Ortiz Narvaja, 26 years old, a clarification that corrects the name initially reported—Marcelo Juan Ortiz Moura. Álvarez, whose statements were recorded by ABC Color, confirmed that Ortiz Narvaja possesses documents from both Paraguay and Brazil, a fact that extends the investigation to both sides of the border.
"I was indeed informed of this at 4:30, an act of wilful homicide and also a person of Paraguayan nationality was abducted and he also has documents from the neighbouring country," the prosecutor said regarding the initial notification he received. Álvarez added that according to preliminary information, Ortiz Narvaja "has problems in the neighbouring country related to drug trafficking", although he clarified that this information had not yet been officially confirmed.
The kidnap victim's partner, executed whilst attempting to stop the attackers
The fatal victim was identified as Carolina Benítez Arce, 28 years old and of Brazilian nationality, partner of Ortiz Narvaja. Investigators believe the attackers entered with the intention of taking the man, but the situation resulted in the woman's death outside the residence.
Security cameras at the property recorded the moment when at least six armed men with rifles entered the house through the garage. Approximately two minutes later, they removed Ortiz Narvaja barefoot, in underwear and with his hands tied behind his back, and put him into a grey Toyota Fortuner. The National Police indicated that the group was travelling in two vehicles of that model—one grey and one white.
A secretary and a minor, witnesses to the attack
Among the details that emerged in the hours following the incident is the presence of Johannes Mateus Rodrigues Martínez, identified as Ortiz Narvaja's secretary. Rodrigues Martínez was at the main entrance of the residence with a minor at the time of the armed incursion.
Taken to the prosecutor's office to give a statement as a witness, Rodrigues Martínez became a key piece in reconstructing the sequence of the attack.
War ammunition found at the scene
Forensic experts collected ballistic evidence confirming the use of military-grade weapons. Prosecutor Álvarez detailed that four spent cartridges of 7.62 calibre and two unfired cartridges of 5.56 calibre were found, both used in assault rifles.
Inside the property, authorities also seized magazines, documentation related to weapons, mobile phones and the closed-circuit surveillance system, all submitted for judicial analysis.
The absence of ransom demand points to a settling of scores
Several hours after the kidnapping, no group contacted authorities to demand money in exchange for Ortiz Narvaja's release. The prosecutor described this circumstance as "very striking" and noted that to date there had been "neither a ransom demand nor any request for money in relation to this person who was abducted".
The silence of the kidnappers reinforces the hypothesis that the operation was not an extortive kidnapping, but an action linked to disputes between organised crime groups.
Binational coordination with Brazil
To advance the case, the Paraguayan Public Prosecutor's Office formally requested assistance from Brazil's Civil Police with the aim of cross-referencing information about Ortiz Narvaja's background. Coordination is crucial in an area where Pedro Juan Caballero and Ponta Porã, in the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, are separated by just one avenue.
This border strip is considered a strategic corridor for the trafficking of marijuana and cocaine to Brazil and other markets. Organisations such as Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) and Comando Vermelho (CV) operate there, as well as local structures.
Authorities are analysing security camera footage from the area to trace the escape route of the vehicles and identify those responsible for the operation.
Source: Google News PY — Crime