Kidnap suspects await  double murder hearing

DAVID, Chiriquí.- A guarantee judge opened a criminal case against Gustavo Bonilla ‘Tavin’ and Jenniffer del Carmen Castillo Amores,  on Saturday,March 19 for the alleged kidnapping of  American citizen, Randalph Leigh Steittmeir and Armando Miranda Pittí, an event that occurred on October 24, 2021.

Both citizens are also being investigated for crimes against economic assets since there is evidence that, through a bank account, payments were made for the deprivation of liberty of the US citizen and his brother-in-law of Chirican origin.

Prosecutor Andrés Chimillo, requested provisional detention for six months, while the investigations continue for both defendants.

Meanwhile, in the coming days, the Public Ministry of the province of Coclé will be calling a control hearing for both accused of the murder of Stettmeier and Miranda Pittí, since their bodies were found on the side of the Inter-American highway, at the bridge over the Chico River, Nata.

Meanwhile, in the coming days, the Public Ministry of the province of Coclé will be calling a control hearing for both accused of the murder of Stettmeier and Miranda Pittí, since their bodies were found on the side of the Inter-American highway, at the height of the bridge over the Chico River, Nata.

 Steittmeir and  Pittí were kidnapped after they received a phone call to propose a fumigation job in the province of Veraguas.

According to the investigations, Leigh Steittmeir had an aerial fumigation company and was contacted to do a job in Soná de Veraguas. The American went to the indicated place with Miranda Pittí and his secretary Ruth Saucedo.

When trying to locate them, their relatives realized that the cell phones had been turned off. The relatives later received several calls from the kidnappers asking for money in exchange for their release. Days later, the bodies of the two men were found.