(UNTITLED) ASSASSINATION OF JOSE MIGUEL ( (MERIDA) ) ESCOBAR

Created: 8/5/1991

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

THE

BILLIARDS HALL IN ZONE 1.

ASSASSINATION1 OF JOSE MIGUELMERIDAI I ESCOBAR. THE FORMES CHIEF Of THE HOMICIDE AND XIDNAPPINC INVESTIGATION SECTION OF THE GUATEMALAN NATIONAL POLICE. IS BELIEVED BY SENIOR POLICE OFFICIALS TO HAVE BEES BELATED TO HIS INVOLVEMENTROUP OF CORRUPT POLICE OFFICERS. INCLUDING INDIVIDUALS NAMED OLARES)I. ENA)I ANOALAZAR)). THESE HEN HAD FORMED PARTANG DEDICATED TO BANK ROBBERIES AND OTHER CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES. THE TWO CHIEF SUSPECTS IH TKE MURDER ARE LUIS ARMANDOIMENEZ AND EDGARALVEZ)). BOTH FORMER MEMBERS OF MERIDAS UNIT WHO WERE INVOLVED IN THE0 ROBBERY OF THE LAS VEGAS

BOTH MEN WERE DISMISSED AND CHARGED IN THE

for

i

THEFT, WHICH INVOLVED THE ROBBERY. CITIZENS. HERIDA WAS ALSO SUSPECTED OF INVOLVEMENT IN THE ROBBERY AND HAD BEEN REMOVED FROM HIS POSITION AS CHIEF OF THE HOMICIDE AND KIDNAP INVESTIGATIONEEK BEFORE HIS MURDER. HE WAS TO HAVE BEEN DISMISSED FROM THE NATIONAL POLICE IN THE NEAR FUTURE. EITHER CASTRO OR GALVEZ BORROWED THE CAR USED IH THE ASSASSINATIONHIRD FORMER NATIONAL POLICEMAN KNOWN TO HAVEEMBERANK ROBBERY GANG. (SOURCE COMMENT: IT APPEARS THAT HERIDA INFORMED ON KIS PARTNERS WHEN THE POOL HALL ROBBERY WAS INVESTIGATED. LEADING TO KIS MURDER WHEN THEY WERE RELEASED FROM CUSTODY. BY INFORMING. HE TEMPORARILY SAVED HIS JOS. THE FULL EXTENT OF HIS INVOLVEMENT IN ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IS UNKNOWN. IN THE COURSE Of HIS POLICE WORK, HERIDA HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN THE INVESTIGATION OF THE MURDER OF KYRXAACKI1 CHANG. UATEMALAN ANTHROPOLOGIST WITH LEFTIST POLITICAL TIES.)

2. THE CAR USED IN THE ASSASSINATION OF HERIDA WAS OWNED BY ALFREDO DE JESUS UERRA)) GALINDO, WHO HAD PURCHASEDHORT TIME BEFORE THE INCIDENT AND HAD NOT HAD TIME TO TAKE OUT THE LEGAL PAPERS FOR IT. (FIELO COMMENT: THE GUATEMALAN PRESSUGUST REPORTEO THAT GUERRA HAD BEEN ARRESTEDUSPECT IN THSUERRAORMER MEMBER OF THE NATIONAL POLICE FIFTH DEPARTMENT. WHO WAS DISMISSED ON 13 FEBRUARY FOR FAILING TO SHOW "JP FOR WORK. HE WAS ASSIGNED TO WORK WITH THE SECURITY FORCE FOR THE VICE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT. AT THE TIME HE WAS DISMISSED, HE WAS UNDER INVESTIGATIONERIES OF ROBBERIES WHICH HAD TAKEN PLACE AT THE END OF 9 AND IN EARLY THESE INCLUDED THE ROBBERY OF THE BANCON JUTIAPA THE ROBBERY OF THE BANCO 8ANDESA IN CO BAN IN AND THE ROBBERY OF THE BANCO INMOBILARIO IN GUATEMALA CITY. THE GANG ALSO ROBBED TWO CAS STATIONS IN GUATEMALA CITY. EHICLE AND WEAPONS BELONGING TO THE SECURITY STAFF OF THE VICE MINISTER OF GOVERNMENT WERE USED IN THE ROBBERIES. GUERRA HAS THUS FAR CLAIMED HE 'LENT* THE CAR TO EITHER CASTRO OR GALVEZ (WHICH ONE WAS NOT SPECIFIED) AND HAD NO IDEA THEY WERE GOING TO USE IT IN THE ASSASSINATION OF HERIDA.