Fugitive of justice, Argenis Contreras, the man accused of the murder of the lawyer and university professor Yuniol Ramírez, left the Dominican Republic to hide in the home of Lucas Tobia Ortega Duarte, a relative of his, who lives in New Jersey, USA, according to recent media coverage of the murder.
As investigations unfold, the Public Prosecution Service said they are asking for coercive measures against Ortega Duarte, Víctor Elisander Raverlo Campos (El Herrero) and Jorge Luis Abreu Fabián (El DJ and/or El Taxista), who were arrested over the weekend, and have their hearing on coercive measures set for Thursday, 11 April 2018. According to the Public Prosecution Service, Ortega Duarte lied about Contreras’ whereabouts when questioned by the United States Immigration Service and to Interpol. He has been charged with obstruction of justice early in the investigation.
Contreras’ lawyer, Carlos Bálcacer, said his defendant will return to the country next week. He said he departed on 12 October 2017 by way of Las Americas International Airport, fearing for his life. Balcácer says that two police instead killed Ramírez to steal RD$3 million that allegedly would have been paid to Ramírez for him to desist from a legal case against Manuel Rivas of the OMSA state bus entity for corruption.
Balcacer has met with Attorney General Jean Alain Rodríguez, head prosecutor for Santo Domingo province Olga Diná Llaverías and assistant prosecutor Juan Alcántara to program the date and time Contreras will be handed over. The Public Prosecution service has assured his safety.
In a new development, it was known that prosecutors would request pre-trial custody for Heidy Peña, wife of Argenis Contreras. She is accused of hiding the Ford Ranger in the interior of which allegedly the corpse of Yuniol Ramírez was hidden prior to the disposal of the body. Her lawyer, Carlos Balcácer says there is not sufficient evidence to incriminate Peña.
Read more in Spanish:
El Dia
Listin Diario
Diario Libre
El Dia
11 April 2018
