The Main Suspect in the Double Homicide in Caimitillo Where a Police Officer Died Has Been Apprehended

The National Police reported that they arrested one of the main suspects in the double homicide that occurred in the township of Caimitillo, North Panama, in which a police officer and a citizen lost their lives.  Five suspects identified in the murder of Captain José Isaza are being identified; operations continue in Caimitillo. The arrest was made during operational and investigative actions carried out in the Veranillo sector of the San Miguelito district, as part of the search deployment activated after the armed attack that occurred Friday. According to preliminary investigations, the detainee is considered one of the alleged perpetrators of the attack. 

The Director General of the National Police, Jaime Fernández, confirmed the arrest and highlighted the deployment of institutional resources to find the suspect.  “Today we have apprehended the main suspect in the death of one of our police officers yesterday in the Panama North area. The entire police force deployed all necessary resources, including technology and the full effort of all units, to make this arrest,” he stated.  Fernández added that the investigation continues to locate other possible individuals involved. “We will continue to pursue all those responsible for this situation and bring them to justice and into the custody of the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” he stated. 

The case has generated reactions at the executive level. President José Raúl Mulino again questioned judicial decisions regarding crime, stating that the efforts of security forces lose effectiveness if the judiciary does not act in a coordinated manner.  The president’s statements came after police Lieutenant José Isaza Melo was killed in Caimitillo during an armed attack that, according to authorities, was initially directed against a man serving a community service sentence ordered by a judge.