Secretary in kidnap-murder plot found alive

Police sources have confirmed that the kidnapped Chirican businesswoman Ruth Saucedo Nielsen 48, was found alive at dawn on Wednesday, November 3, in Pocr de Aguadulce, Coclé province.

Nielsen had been kidnapped along with the American businessman Randall Leigh Steittmeir and the Chirican Armando Miranda Pittí. The bodies of the two men were found last Saturday, October 30, a few meters from the bridge over the Chico de Natá river, in Coclé.

The sources said that the woman, who showed signs of blows, wandered down a street and asked for help. She was taken to a medical center in Aguadulce.

On Tuesday, the funeral services of Leigh Steittmeir and Miranda Pittí were held in the city of David, Chiriquí.

According to the investigations, Leigh Steittmeir had an aerial spraying company and was contracted to carry out work in Soná, Veraguas province. The American went to Soná with the pilot Miranda Pittí and Saucedo.

The relatives later received calls from the kidnappers asking for money in exchange for their release. Days later, the bodies of the two men were found with signs of torture.

The Chirican community and groups of foreigners residing in Panama have asked the authorities to thoroughly investigate what happened.

The United States Embassy said this week that it will cooperate with Panamanian authorities in investigations related to the murder of a US citizen.