First massacre suspect released 2 others detained

The first person arrested in the investigation of the massacre in of seven young people, on a swimming trip in Lake Gatun was released from preventive detention on  Friday, August 7.

Colón Guarantee judge, Nelson Quijada, changed, the precautionary measure that had been applied to the first suspect in a WW II bunker in the old Espinar fort. Another six young people survived the event on July 17.

Miguel Almanza, 18, who initially had a provisional arrest measure must now sign on the 30th of each month. He was also prohibited from leaving the country and from approaching the survivors.

The hearing to review the precautionary measure was requested by defense attorney José Antonio Moncada who had  produced nearly  a score  of witnesses to certify that his client was far from the crime scene at the time of the killings

Almanza was apprehended on the night of Saturday, July 18 after a police operation in Achiote de la Costa Abajo. On Monday, July 20, he was charged with the alleged homicide, femicide, robbery and deprivation of liberty.

Two other accused, are in preventive detention. Reynaldo Cuadra aka ‘El Rey’, 25, who was seized on Thursday and  Jan Carlos Hernández  aka  ‘Niñito’ who was taken by his mother to turn himself in, on Wednesday. He asked to be kept in a different prison from the other accused as he feared for his life.

An autopsy report by experts from the Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences indicates that the youths were executed by a shot to the head.

Hernández accused ‘Rey’ of having shot the victims and attempted to rape two sisters and then murdered them in cold blood. When he was apprehended, he was wearing a watch of one of the victims.

‘Rey’ and ‘Niñito’ had seized at gunpoint of two cell phones, two watches, a chain, two Bluetooth speakers, and less than $100.

According to the Directorate of Judicial Investigation (DIJ), the defendant previously had 3 homicide investigations they detained him several times, but without evidence, he was released.

The authorities have testimonies of a protected witness who said that the day of the crime he saw ‘Rey’ and ‘Niñito’ follow the victims who had gone to bathe in Gatún Lake, and then return as if nothing had happened.

El Siglo reports that the Police,  already knew that ‘Rey’ and ‘Niñito’ were involved in the massacre, but 18 days passed before their arrest.