This Friday, the Attorney General of the Republic, Tarek William Saab, reported that the perpetrators of the murder of Carlos Lanz they were finally sentencedafter admitting the charges of which they were accused.
When offering details of the preliminary hearings in the aforementioned case, the Prosecutor indicated that during the hearing corresponding to Glenn Castellanos, held this Wednesday, September 14, the defendant decided to admit the facts that were imputed to him, and was consequently sentenced for this act.
Castellanos, Cumare’s ex-partner, is accused of the crimes of contract killing, conspiracy to commit a crime, conspiracy to simulate a contract and simulation of a punishable act.
The same thing happened at the preliminary hearing of Maxyorisol Cumare Sequera, held this Thursday, September 15. Carlos Lanz’s wife admitted the charges against her: contract killers, conspiracy to commit a crime, corruption and simulation of a punishable act. And she, consequently, she was also condemned with a definitive sentence.
Saab also reported that this Friday the preliminary hearings of the others involved will be held.
He added that there are eight defendants who expressed their willingness to admit the facts for which they were charged, which demonstrates the results of a serious investigation.
“The admission of the facts by those involved, including the two intellectual authors (Mayi Cumare and Glenn Castellanos), ratifies the strength of the investigation carried out and the evidence collected,” he said.
Saab added that the preliminary hearings that have been held since Wednesday are scheduled to be completed this Friday, concluding in several convictions.
Judicial, political and moral victory
After recounting the actions of the Public Ministry and the different instances that participated for more than two years in the investigation of the disappearance of Carlos Lanz, prosecutor Saab described the resolution of the case as a judicial, political and moral victory.
“There was investigation and discrimination, as established in Venezuelan law. We have to congratulate the Venezuelan State for this judicial, political and moral victory for the resolution of this case.”
In this regard, he recalled that the Public ministry was activated from the first hours after the report of the disappearance of Carlos Lanz, on August 9, 2020. In total, more than 400 proceedings were carried out, from interviews with the possible perpetrators and their environment, to visual inspections, raids, telephone and forensic expertise.
He also stressed that, from the beginning, it was determined that there was no violent act in Carlos Lanz’s departure, and it was always clear that the people around him were hiding information or lying.
The accused
Tito Viloria admitted his responsibility in contract killings, conspiracy to commit a crime, concert to enter into contracts and simulation of a punishable act.
Elis Becerra (foreman of the factory where Lanz was murdered) was charged with the crimes of accessory to hired assassins and criminal association. Darwin Zambrano (son-in-law) was charged with the crimes of corruption, cover-up for hired assassins and simulation of a punishable act. He admitted the facts.
Oliver Medina (lover of Cumare) is accused of the crime of corruption; Alyeska Gil (stepdaughter) was charged with the crimes of concealment as a hired killer and simulation of a punishable act; Abyayala Lanz (daughter) is charged with the crimes of cover-up as a hired killer and simulation of a punishable act; and Diego Aterhotua (friend) is accused of the crimes of cover-up as a hired killer and simulation of a punishable act.
Zaida Suárez (partner of Tito Viloria) for the crimes of cover-up as a hired killer, conspiracy to commit a crime, concert with an official to enter into contracts, and simulation of a punishable act.
In this case, the prosecutors María José Torres and Carmen Julia Herrera (provisional and auxiliary 46th National Prosecutor, respectively), Renny Amundarain (provisional 94th National Prosecutor), Junior Cárdenas (interim auxiliary Prosecutor 46th National), Rubén Medina (interim auxiliary Prosecutor 94th National ), Nicola Coppolone (94th National Acting Assistant Prosecutor) and Javier Ruiz (94th National Acting Assistant Prosecutor).
