The National Police moved on resolving the murder of lawyer Octavio Beras on Monday, 4 September. The case has made headlines, as he was the son and nephew of two of the nation’s leading television producers, Tutín and Freddy Beras Goico. The Police presented on TV yesterday the 16-year old spouse of the late 24-year old Wilson Manuel ("El Mago") Rodríguez, who died of wounds during a supposed assault on lawyer Octavio Beras on Monday. (The presentation of a minor is supposedly illegal, as she is protected by the law against this practice.) The 16-year old’s testimony has led to the incrimination of 26-year old José Ernesto ("Joseph") Cárdenas and the identification of a third suspect, Jose Antonio ("Botija") Osoria de la Rosa, who is fugitive. News reports say that "Botija" is heavily armed and has a long record with the Police. She explained on TV that Cárdenas had told her on the day of the crime that her spouse had been injured in a shootout in which a man died. She said her spouse frequently went out with the two and they would communicate by cellular phone. She has a 3-year old daughter with Rodríguez. Yesterday, Cárdenas handed himself in to Father Rogelio Cruz, of Cristo Rey neighborhood, aware that he was sought by the police for the murder. Later he was arrested by the Police. Apparently Cárdenas was not one of the two on the motorcycle that the Police sought, but rather was the third person in the bank that alerted the accomplices that Beras had taken out a considerable amount of money from the bank. The police also announced the arrest of 18-year old Miguel Angel ("Dinquin") Waytt Echavarria, owner of a white and red Yamaha, that fits the description of witnesses. El Siglo newspaper says that the motorcycle used by the two men that killed lawyer Octavio Augusto Beras Guzman is the property of an agent of the National Police who had lent it to the two assailants in the morning. It is not clear if the arrested 18-year old is the police agent. The Listin Diario reported that the National Police does not resolve 50% of assassinations. According to the Anuario Estadistico de la Fiscalia del Distrito Nacional 1999, there were 630 violent deaths last year, including 100 of persons that died in cross fire with the Police. Former District Attorney Francisco Domínguez explained that one case will displace another in the priority list of the Police. He explained the Police does not have the personnel to investigate all the cases. He said that if a case is not resolved in three or four days, it usually will be filed.
