Two males accused of drugging and killing an American Airways flight attendant throughout a layover in Colombia have been arrested months after the slaying, authorities stated, with the suspects allegedly tied to a gang recognized to prey on vacationers.
Andrés Felipe Peña Corrales, 23, and William Olave Gamboa, 31, had been captured in Peru in reference to the March killing of Eric Fernando Gutierrez Molina, 32, a Dallas-based flight attendant whose disappearance in Medellín sparked a global search.
Peña Corrales has since been transferred to Colombia to face fees, whereas Olave Gamboa stays in Peruvian custody awaiting extradition proceedings. Each males face fees together with aggravated murder and aggravated theft in Colombia, in line with authorities.
A 3rd suspect, María del Carmen González, 24, was arrested individually in Montería, Colombia. Investigators allege she was indirectly concerned in Gutierrez Molina’s killing however participated in withdrawing and shifting cash stolen from international victims as a part of the group’s operation.
Colombian police recognized all three suspects as alleged members of Los Goteros, a prison group accused of concentrating on international vacationers by contacting them via relationship apps, gaining their belief, drugging them and stealing cash, jewellery and different valuables.
Based on reporting by El Colombiano, investigators consider Gutierrez Molina was contacted via a relationship app earlier than assembly a number of individuals at a nightclub in Medellín’s El Poblado neighborhood.
The group later went to a resort, the place Gutierrez Molina and his coworker had been allegedly drugged earlier than their belongings had been stolen and their monetary accounts had been accessed, the outlet reported.
The outlet additionally reported that scopolamine, typically known as “Satan’s Breath” or “Dragon’s Breath,” could have been used to incapacitate the victims, although authorities haven’t publicly confirmed toxicology findings within the case.
Gutierrez Molina was reportedly strangled, whereas his coworker survived.
Investigators allege the group accessed Gutierrez Molina’s financial institution accounts, stole different valuables and deserted his physique close to Jericó, southwest of Medellín, the place it was discovered 5 days later.
The arrests capped a months-long worldwide investigation involving US Homeland Safety Investigations, Colombian prosecutors and Peruvian authorities.
“This profitable final result displays the robust dedication of the US, Colombia and Peru to work collectively to research and produce to justice a gaggle of criminals in Colombia devoted to the theft and theft of US residents and make sure the security of worldwide vacationers within the area,” the US Embassy in Colombia stated in a joint assertion.
The embassy additionally acknowledged the Mayor’s Workplace of Medellín, Colombia’s Nationwide Police and Peru’s Nationwide Police for his or her roles within the investigation.
Mates advised native media on the time that he shared his location from an Airbnb close to José María Córdova Worldwide Airport earlier than communication all of a sudden stopped, prompting coworkers and relations to report him lacking.
Days later, Medellín Mayor Federico Gutiérrez introduced that authorities had recovered a physique close to Jericó. The stays had been later recognized as Gutierrez Molina.
“We’re heartbroken by the tragic passing of our colleague,” American Airways stated in a press release beforehand supplied to Fox Information Digital.
“Our ideas and help are along with his household, family members and colleagues throughout this troublesome time, and we’re doing all we will to help Colombian regulation enforcement in its investigation.”
Authorities stated investigators are working to find out whether or not extra international vacationers had been victimized by Los Goteros utilizing the identical alleged scheme.
