The discovery of five men’s bodies, found naked and showing signs of torture, has initiated a significant investigation into a possible murder case in Puerto Rico.
Three of the bodies were located in a stack near a church in Carolina, situated just east of the capital city, San Juan, on Tuesday. The remaining two bodies were found in a similar state in Santurce, San Juan, on the same day. Authorities suspect a potential link to drug trafficking in these incidents.
Law enforcement officials have noted similarities in the markings on all five bodies. According to Police Superintendent Joseph Gonzalez, while the investigation leans towards drug-related motives, they are not ruling out other potential angles at this stage.
One of the deceased individuals has been identified as an 18-year-old male, while the identities of the other four victims remain unknown. Reports indicate that two of the men had their hands bound behind them, and two exhibited gunshot wounds. Additionally, one victim had a finger severed, as reported by El Nuevo Dia.
Gonzalez emphasized the possibility of a connection between the cases due to the shared characteristics of the scenes, where the victims were found naked and tortured. Detectives suspect that the bodies found in Carolina were likely killed elsewhere, as they showed signs of having been moved, possibly across sandy or dirty terrain.
The police chief mentioned that evidence suggests the victims were dragged in one location, while shell casings were discovered near the bodies in San Juan. Gonzalez stated that this level of violence is uncommon in Puerto Rico.
Authorities are actively working to resolve the case, with Mabel Olivera, head of the Criminal Investigation Unit (CIC) in Carolina, affirming that all lines of inquiry remain open. Edwin Figueroa, director of the CIC in San Juan, echoed this sentiment, stating that resources from various divisions are being utilized to identify the bodies and progress with the investigation.
Puerto Rico has historically served as a transit point for drug trafficking to the US mainland and international markets. With a population of 3.2 million, the island has reported 344 homicides this year as of Wednesday, a decrease from the same period last year.