The arrests of three members of the Mara 18 gang bring the total number of suspects detained to 28.
(RSF/IFEX) – The Salvadoran police have arrested three more suspects in the investigation into documentary filmmaker Christian Poveda’s murder on 2 September 2009. Their arrests bring the total number of suspects detained to 28. The police say they think a total of 36 people had a part in the killing of Poveda, who had French and Spanish dual citizenship.
The three latest detainees, all alleged members of the Mara 18 gang, are Roberto “El Scrapy” Hernández, 24, José Carlos “El Kala” Barahona, 28, and Rafael “Soomby” Parada, 26. The police say they acted as lookouts during the execution-style killing.
It is encouraging to see the Salvadoran authorities continuing to work so hard on the case. It nonetheless remains to be seen whether all the suspects really did have a role in Poveda’s murder. Aside from making arrests, the authorities must establish exactly what happened and who within Mara 18 was responsible.
