Deprivation of Liberty of University Student Dayra Cedeño

The new defense attorney for Julio Anel Bayo Solís, 43, above left, who is being investigated for the deprivation of liberty of university student Dayra Cedeño, above right, requested the dismissal of the appeal, in accordance with the provisions of article 161 of the Criminal Procedure Code.  This hearing was scheduled for this afternoon at the Superior Court of Appeals of the First Judicial District of Panama, located in Plaza Fortuna. Bayo Solís, a lawyer and former convict for homicide, is provisionally detained for the deprivation of liberty of the 23-year-old university student, Dayra Caicedo Miranda. The incident occurred on February 19 in Arraiján. In addition to Bayo, his wife Carol Rodríguez pictured below, 44, is also in custody. 

On Thursday, Police Director Jaime Fernández said that the investigation is progressing and that more suspects are being targeted.  “We have two people arrested and we are searching for two more people, who have been fully identified and who participated in the incident,” said Fernandez. The director added that more than 18 search warrants have been carried out nationwide. More will be carried out soon.  In this regard, there are also six cars identified in the process of the kidnapping, which are being verified by the Judicial Investigation Department.  “The investigation is complex, but the police have not rested and will continue until they find out the final consequences,” he said.

Some background: Bayo Solís, the accused, 43, served almost 14 years in prison for a heinous crime committed on September 5, 2003. While in prison he studied law at Columbus University and became a lawyer. What Bayo Solis had done in 2003 was, he strangled Lilia Ramos, 23, with a belt inside a car.  The victim was six months pregnant, the result of her relationship with Julio Anel, and the girl refused to abort it. Solis took Lilia’s body to the banks of the Terable River, in Chepo, doused the girl’s body with gasoline and placed it in a grassy field to set it on fire.  The current accusations against him are alleged surveillance that Julio Anel carried out on Dayra’s car when she was kidnapped by four subjects upon arriving at her home in Arraiján.  Dayra, the young woman, pictured below, was returning from university when the deprivation of liberty was perpetrated, which occurred before the eyes of her family.  Search operations have since been launched, while family and friends are calling for her return.  The whereabouts of the university student are currently unknown.

Police pointed out that this case is complex, even more so, given that no ransom has been requested for the young woman.  Dayra, a law student at USMA, has been missing for more than 15 days, and so far there are two people provisionally detained in this case.