Colombia Arrests Five Suspects of the Assassination of Paraguayan Prosecutor

Published: 14 June 2022

Marcelo Pecci Coffin

Colombian authorities arrested five people who allegedly participating in the murder of Paraguayan anti-mafia prosecutor Marcelo Pecci. (Photo: Ministerio Público del Paraguay/Twitter, License)

By Vinicius Madureira

Colombian authorities said they arrested and charged five people for participating in the assassination of Paraguayan anti-mafia prosecutor Marcelo Pecci who was shot on a beach while honeymooning with his pregnant wife.

The prosecutor was allegedly on a death list put together by criminal organizations, such as the Brazilian gang Primeiro Comando da Capital, or First Command of Capital. At least 27 people have testified during the investigation.

According to the investigators, Venezuelan Wendre Stil Scott Carrillo, riding a rented jet-ski, shot Pecci in Isla Barú, near Playa Blanca, where the conspirators had gathered and planned the murder. He then threw the weapon into the sea.

Scott Carrillo had allegedly acted in complicity with Gabriel Carlos Salinas Mendoza, who is believed to had been driving the jet ski and is still on the run. Authorities have on Thursday offered the equivalent of US$126,000 for information about his whereabouts.

Marisol Londoño Bedoya and her son Cristian Camilo Monsalve Londoño stayed at the same hotel as Pecci, followed his moves and directed the assassins. There is a record of nearly 40 calls between Marisol Londoño Bedoya and Francisco Luis Correa Galeano, who is accused of hiring the assassins. Eiverson Adrian Zabaleta Arrieta is believed to have helped the killers flee the scene of the crime.

All arrested except Correa Galeano have pleaded guilty.

Colombian Prosecutor Barbosa Delgado said the crime was negotiated for more than half a million dollars which were split among several people.

Delgado told local media that posting whereabouts on social media can be lethal. The suspects have stated that they managed to locate Pecci thanks to social media. Pecci’s wife, journalist Claudia Aguilera, had posted photos of the two enjoying the beach on Instagram.

Beyond uncovering who killed Pecci, authorities now are also trying to figure out why he was so important to the Latin America crime scene. Delgado said they are in the search for those who ordered the crime.