Many unanswered questions surround the death of 16-year old Esmeralda Richez. Hoy interviewed Sarita Valdez, the former director of the National Forensic Institute (Inacif) who criticized the autopsy carried out at the Inacif in this case.
Investigative TV reporters Alicia Ortega of El Informe (Channel 9) and Addis Burgos of Desclasificado (Channel 37) both have covered the death of the 16-year old highlighting the confusion that marks the case.
The National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif) carried out the autopsy, and the child was buried. Yet, there continue to be different versions of what happened, given by relatives and friends.
Meanwhile, the judge of Permanent Attention of La Altagracia province ordered 35-year old professor John Kelly Martinez serve a year of preventive imprisonment at the Anamuya Jail. He is the main suspect of causing the death of the teenager. Judge Francis Reyes Diloné approved the request for coercive measures requested by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The prosecution accuses Martínez of violating articles 265, 266, 295, 303 and 331 of the Penal Code, which typify the crimes of association of evildoers and homicide, which are punishable with the maximum penalty of 30 years of imprisonment.
The prosecutors base their request on the provisional report of the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif), which states that the minor Esmeralda suffered “lacerations, contusions and vaginal tearing with severe acute external and internal hemorrhage and hemorrhagic shock as a terminal mechanism of death,” all of which is attributed to her math and gym teacher.
The incident occurred when on Sunday, 12 February the professor of the student picked up Esmeralda from her home to go out with her that evening. He was accompanied by his relative 20-year old Ruben Morillo Martinez (or Rubiel), and three other minors of 16 and 17 years of age, all students at the same polytechnic as the late Esmeralda. Reportedly, the group went to Macao or Bavaro beach.
The judge ordered Ruben Morillo Martìnez to report to the court periodically as a coercive measure. He is regarded as an accomplice who removed the blood-stained pants Esmeralda was wearing that evvening.
Now, former director of Forensic Pathology, Sergio Sarita Valdez accuses the Public Prosecutor’s Office of pressing the forensic medics to fast track their report on the death of Esmeralda Richiez. This, he says, resulted in what he calls an incomplete forensic report.
Sarita Valdez indicates that missing from the forensic report is evidence such as the description of the scene of the crime, analysis of the victim’s clothing to see if there are tears, blood or other important indications; toxicology analysis to look for traces of drugs, alcohol in the urine or in the blood; and serology with samples from the vagina, mouth and anus to look for sperm.
He added that if there was also suspicion of pregnancy, a microscopic study of the uterus, ovaries and endometrium should have been done. All this takes time.
“Law 136 on autopsies does not speak of a preliminary report,” he explains. “What happens is that the Public Prosecutor’s Office puts pressure on the forensics, so that in a hurry, they elaborate something. There has not been time to study all that and they are forced to expedite and issue a report, that then is incomplete,” he said. Sarita Valdez says this has generated a series of confusions and doubts because it is not conclusive. “It is not answering in a clear, precise and unambiguous way,” said the former director of the Inacif.
He added that for a judge to be able to do justice “he needs clear and precise evidence; not speculations.” Sarita Valdez concluded: “This seems more like a media show than anything else.” said.
In a new development in the case, the family of the deceased teenager announced they are changing their defense lawyer. The new defense lawyer will be Julio César Silvestre, replacing Juan Francisco Guerrero Mármolejos and Raymundo Rosario.
Read more:
Hoy
Alicia Ortega – El Informe
Desclasificado con Addis Burgos Part 1
Desclasificado con Addis Burgos Part 2
Noticias SIN
DR1 News
DR1 News
22 February 2023