‘My Daughter will not Return but Doris Franco’s Ex-Partner Sentenced for Femicide will Live Through True Hell’
The hearing for the reading of the sentence and the individualization of the penalty was set for August 20, at 8:30 in the morning.
Panama educator Doris Franco, 37, was murdered on April 26, 2024, in the La Primavera neighborhood of Santiago, Veraguas Province. She suffered multiple stab wounds inflicted by her romantic partner, pilot Bosco Bolívar Barrera. The oral trial for her femicide concluded its evidentiary phases in August 2026, with prosecutors seeking a 30-year prison sentence.
Case Overview and Trial
- The Crime: Doris Franco Camaño pictured above was fatally stabbed at least eight times during a dispute. She was rushed to the Hospital Regional Dr. Luis “Chicho” Fábrega, where she was pronounced dead. The accused surrendered to authorities shortly after.
- The Legal Proceedings: After a two-year delay, the high-profile oral trial against Bosco Bolívar Barrera began in August 2026 at the Jaime García judicial building in Santiago de Veraguas.
- Prosecution Demands: The Public Ministry, led by prosecutor Moisés Tuñón, presented extensive expert, documentary, and testimonial evidence, pushing for the maximum sentence of 30 years in prison for aggravated intentional femicide.
‘Bosco’ Barrera, the former partner of educator Doris Franco, was found guilty of the crime of femicide, which occurred on April 26, 2024 in a residence located in the La Primavera neighborhood, in Santiago de Veraguas. The decision made by the Trial Court was issued after three days of oral proceedings, in which the judges analyzed the evidence presented by the prosecution and the private prosecution. As they left the courtroom, family and friends of Doris Franco released white balloons as a symbol of solidarity and in representation of the victim. Doris Franco’s father expressed his satisfaction with the ruling and said that, although his daughter will not return, he feels that justice has finally been done.
“I’ve waited a long time for this decision. Every day, every night, every early morning, at lunchtime, whenever I was alone, I would think of her. I would cry, begging her daughter to bring justice, to make her face the full weight of the law,” he recounted. The victim’s father also asked that the sentence serve as a precedent for men who abuse women. “My daughter isn’t coming back, but he’s going to experience true hell in prison. That’s what I want,” he said.
The Prosecution and Private Plaintiff are Asking for 30 Years
Once the guilty verdict was known, the sentencing hearing was held, in which both the prosecution and the private prosecution requested 30 years in prison, the maximum sentence contemplated for this crime. The request is based on the provisions established in Panamanian legislation for the crime of femicide, whose penalty can reach between 25 and 30 years in prison. The convicted man’s defense team did not offer any statements to the media after the verdict was announced. According to the private prosecution’s representation, during the hearing the reasons why they believe the maximum sentence of 30 years should be applied were explained.
The Verdict will be Announced on August 20th
Although the judges have already determined the defendant’s guilt, the final sentence has not yet been established. The hearing for the reading of the sentence and the individualization of the penalty was set for August 20, at 8:30 in the morning. At that hearing, the judges will explain the evidence that was assessed during the trial and the circumstances they took into account to determine the sentence. The prosecution argued that the finding of responsibility is based on the evidence presented during the oral trial. The femicide of Doris Franco occurred on April 26, 2024, at a residence in the La Primavera neighborhood of Santiago, Veraguas province. With the guilty verdict, her family now awaits the sentence the perpetrator will have to serve.
