The media is reports that Maritza Ovalle de Vanderhorst murdered on Saturday in the community of Estero Hondo, Villa Isabela in western Puerto Plata province was just there to visit her childhood friend Juan José Soto at his farm after participating in a spiritual retreat. She was decapitated and the lead suspect is a Haitian recently employed at the farm only known as Blanké. Her friend, Juan Jose Soto Corniel was also murdered when the suspect severed his arm during the murders on Saturday, 1 October 2022.
Ovalle’s eldest son and other relatives had been scheduled to meet them at the farm, where they found out about the tragedy.
63-year old Maritza Ovalle de Vanderhorst was a graduate of the Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra, with high honors. She had worked as an educator for more than 25 years uninterruptedly as administrative director at the Colegio Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia, in Los Prados, popularly known as the Altagracianas school. Teaching was cancelled in morning and in solidarity with the family. Likewise, the Parents, Students and Alumni Association of the school have expressed their great sorrow at the tragedy.
Media reports are that 71-year old Juan José Soto Corniel, uncle of the former minister of the Armed Forces, José Miguel Soto Jiménez and 68-year Gilberto Basilio Toribio (El Mocho) both died of severe machete wounds.
The murders occurred in the “Josefina” hacienda, property of Soto Corniel, located in Rancho Manuel, in the municipal district of Estero Hondo, in Villa Isabela, western Puerto Plata.
A Diario Libre reporter inquiry reveals that the incident would have started after an argument between the foreman of the hacienda and a Haitian national, who had been hired to work as an assistant on Soto Corniel’s property just 15 to 20 days earlier. The suspect fled.
N Digital reports the investigators are still trying to find the motive for the gruesome killings.
YouTuber Francisco Taveras (El Democrata) suspects the motive was internal rage carried by the newly hired Blanké who had but two weeks on the job. He says there is a video that shows the violent killings. He criticizes the response of the mob that in reprisal burned dwellings of Haitian farm hands in the area. El Democrata is yet most critical of the government laissez-faire in documenting the Haitians that seek work in the country. The lack of documentation for Blanké is making it difficult for the authorities to arrest the individual.
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Noticias SIN
N Digital
El Democrata
DR1 News
Noticias SIN
4 October 2022