The members of the structure called “The Skulls”arrested for the murder of the general manager and a doctor of a private hospital in zone 10 of the capital, They were guarding Q218 thousand in cash, which has been seizedafter homes were raided for the double murder, the Public Ministry (MP) confirmed this Tuesday, July 30.
The money was located in bundles of bills, in white packetsin the properties located in Guatemala city and in the municipalities of Mixco y Chinautla.
The Prosecutor’s Office estimates that the money is the product of criminal activities for extortion, although it considers that “The Skulls” It is an independent structure and has no relation to gangs.
“So far, it has not been proven that they have any connection with another criminal structure”the investigative body confirmed on July 30.
The Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime completed on Monday, July 29, in the evening, the search warrants in follow-up to the investigations into the murders of Francisco Alberto Galindo Chacon y Mario Fernando Meza Batreswho worked and were part of the Board of Directors of the hospital center.
In addition to the cash, the Prosecutor’s Office also highlighted that weapons were found among the evidence: eight high-caliber firearms, four pistols and a shotgun with a report of aggravated theft.
They were also confiscated 30 cell phones, five laptops, two desktop computers, ten USB drivesamong others.
Prosecutors too 13 minibus type vehicles were immobilized and the embargo of various bank accounts.
The case was revealed during a press conference on Monday, July 29, where Regional Prosecutor Dimas Jiménez and the Prosecutor against Organized Crime, Klayber Sical, reported that they developed 27 raids to arrest seven alleged members of “Los Calavera.”
Prosecutors explained that the two professionals were killed using the same method, by hitmen who shot them while riding motorcycles, although on different dates.
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#MPfuerteYfirme
In an operation led by the Prosecutor’s Office against Organized Crime, 7 members of a criminal organization linked to the murder of Francisco Alberto Galindo Chacón and Mario Fernando Meza Batres, who served as general manager and… pic.twitter.com/zw8yaPR95j— Guatemalan MP (@MPguatemala) July 29, 2024
Francisco Alberto Galindo Chaconhospital manager, died on December 23, 2022 after being intercepted in zone 4 of Santa Catarina Pinula.
Meanwhile, the cardiologist Mario Fernando Meza Batreslost his life after being attacked on Los Próceres Boulevard, Zone 10 of Guatemala City, on August 16, 2023.
Murder hypothesis
According to the investigations of the MP, the murders occurred due to “hospital contracts that were not made.”
The prosecutor explained that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the hospital’s board of directors hired a minibus service to transport its staff.
“When it was determined that the service was no longer necessary, the decision was made to kill them in order to maintain the contract. This service is quite expensive, so the criminal organization did not want to stop receiving that money.”Sical described.
The prosecutor said that this criminal organization laundered money through the provision of minibus services, which were contracted by the private hospital.
He also indicated that the MP will communicate with other entities that have contracted this service, since they “do not know who they are hiring.”
Captures
Among the seven detainees is a PNC agent who collaborated with the structure, the prosecutor said.
The police officer was believed to have been extracting information to filter out criminals, he added.
The detainees are Carlos “N”, Caroline “N”, Oswaldo “N”, Ivan “N”, Francisco “N”, Jonathan “N”, Carlos “N”Two of them were identified as leaders of the criminal organization.
He also indicated that an arrest warrant is pending against another member, however, it is known that he fled to the United States, in an irregular manner, said the prosecutor.
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