Yesterday, police found the body of 58-year-old lawyer and financial consultant Rafael Orlando Batista Fernandez. He had been missing since Wednesday, 25 July, and was thought to have been kidnapped. The former vice president of the Banco Popular and owner of Ellis Viajes, a city travel agency, was last heard from when he called his secretary to request that RD$22,000 in cash and his check book be handed to a messenger who would pick them up. Later his Mitsubishi Montero was located abandoned near Km. 22 of Duarte Highway and blood was found inside. The body was found Sunday buried 100 meters from Rio Guanuma in La Estancia, in Yamasa. It was tied at the hands and feet, with two gun shot wounds, one to the head, the other to the chest. Batista was last seen when he left for a meeting at 9:30 am Wednesday at Avelino Abreu, c. por a. and never showed up. He also missed another meeting at Ellis Viajes. By 6 pm, his family notified the police. They are investigating the circumstances and motive for the killing.
