Twin police murders believed crime of passion

The shooting deaths of two police officers inside a government hospital jn Panama on Saturday July 6 appear to have been motivated by a suspected extra marital relationship.

A National Police lieutenant shot and killed his wife, a sergeant of the institution, and a second lieutenant, inside the San Miguel Arcangel Hospital in San Miguelito, in the early hours.

Police reports reveal that the victims Sergeant Aracelis Aranda,  and 2nd Lieut Alberto Murillo, worked in the Apprehension Unit of the Judicial Information Directorate (DIJ) of the National Police.

The attacker, Lt. Melquiades Rodriguez, was assigned to the police armory in Parque Lefevre.
The incident occurred when Sergeant Aranda who was guarding a detainee on the fourth floor of the comprehensive hospital, had received a visit from off duty Lieutenant Murillo.
A surprise visit from Lieut L Rodriguez, led to a verbal confrontation with  Aranda followed by 14 shots in different parts of the body, causing her instant death.
Police sources told that , Lieutenant Rodriguez fired a series of shots at Lieutenant Murillo, two of which penetrated his stomach and groin, leading to his death a few hours later.
The Criminal Division lifted more than 40 shell casings from the floor at the double murder scene. In an official statement issued on Saturday, the National Police reported that both Lieutenant Rodriguez and Lieut Murillo were on days off.
Lieutenant Rodriguez was arrested after committing the double murder. Elena Cossu, of the Homicide Unit of the said that they have begun gathering evidence and that the confidential case files could not go into specific details of the bloody event.
However, early reports indicate that thry could be dealing with a crime of passion.

Hospital sources said that during the events patients, and medical staff on duty on the floor suffered a lot of tension, initially unaware of where the shots came from