Prosecutor Pecci’s crime: chronology of the murder that shakes two countries

I feel blessed and wanting to live this happiness with intensity, trusting that together everything will be possible”. Those were the words that the Paraguayan journalist Claudia Aguilera wrote four days ago on her Instagram account to share with her followers her marriage on April 30 with Marcelo Puccian important prosecutor of that country.

LOOK: The dramatic story of the wife of the Paraguayan prosecutor murdered during his honeymoon in Colombia

In the recording they are seen happy and excited during the ceremony, which took place in the San José de Asunción church. They celebrated together with their family in a classic hall of the Gran Hotel del Paraguay. “It was love at first sight, I think so,” Aguilera told the Paraguayan program ‘Las Chicas’ recently.

The couple planned their honeymoon and the chosen destination was Cartagena, in Colombia. They arrived at the Walled City on May 4. “Beautiful and lively Cartagena,” Claudia wrote in a publication. The newlywed couple appears in emblematic places in the city: the Getsemaní neighborhood, the streets of the historic center and the San Felipe de Barajas Castle.

Claudia and Marcelo stayed at the Decameron hotel on the island of Barú. There, without knowing it, they shared their last sunset together this Monday. “The last sunset in Barú, but we will have millions more together,” the journalist wrote in a publication that today represents an unfortunate coincidence: Marcelo Pecci, the prosecutor against organized crime in Paraguay, was murdered in the middle of a beach.

Marcelo Pecci and Claudia Aguilera decided to celebrate their honeymoon in Cartagena. (Photo: private file)

The crime

The love story of these two Paraguayans, which began last year due to labor issues, was marked this Tuesday by tragedy. Between sobs, Claudia narrated to EL TIEMPO the moments of anguish that she experienced this morning when she witnessed, on the front line, the murder of her husband.

“The day started calmly and we decided to go to the beach after breakfast. The view is beautiful and it’s our honeymoon,” said the journalist, who added that “two men attacked Marcelo” on the beach.

According to Claudia’s testimony, everything happened very quickly. Around 10:30 am the criminals “came in a small boat, or a jet sky, the truth is I did not see it well.” At that moment, she recounted, “one of the men got out and without saying a word he shot Marcelo twice. One impact was received in the face and another in the back.

Immediately, the hit man got on the “boat” and fled the scene in the company of his accomplice. Meanwhile, several people tried to help the prosecutor, who by that time was already dead.

Claudia, who came out of the attack unharmed, told this newspaper that they felt calm, so they were without security (bodyguards). “We had no threats,” she assured.

For their part, the Colombian authorities indicated that “there was no knowledge of the presence of the Paraguayan prosecutor in Colombia and because of his position he was one of the most protected people in Paraguay.”

‘The most beautiful testimony of love’

A tragedy. That is the word that is repeated among those who comment on this case. And is not for less. For this couple, Cartagena was not only the first destination they would visit when married and where they would celebrate their honeymoon, it was also the place to announce their most anticipated dream.

Claudia, minutes before the crime, shared on her Instagram account that they were expecting their first baby: “The best wedding gift is… life bringing you closer to the most beautiful testimony of love,” she wrote. In the photo, the couple embraces and in the foreground are some small red shoes.

They both wanted to start a family. In an interview with local media, the journalist commented on different occasions that they were excited and happy. “We appreciate that without hesitation we decided to spend our lives together,” she told the local media ‘Hoy’. In another interview she recounted: “We have known each other for a long time because of the work we do. We were in contact about work issues and then we started talking. We have been dating since the end of December last year. Mutual admiration contributed a lot for us to get married.”

The attack on the private beach destroyed the projects of this couple. A video circulates on social networks of the painful moment after the murder of Marcelo, who appears on the ground, face up, while Claudia, his wife, covers his face and does not leave him alone.

Two billion pesos reward

The Paraguayan prosecutor, dedicated to cases of money laundering, drug trafficking and the fight against terrorism, had become a benchmark for justice in that country. Since 2000 he began working in the Public Ministry of his country and since 2009 he has been a prosecutor.

In Pecci’s resume lies, among many others, the ‘A Ultranza Py’ operation, which allowed the capture of several people involved in a structure related to international drug trafficking and money laundering in Paraguay, as well as the seizure of a lots of real estate and vehicles. This operation, according to Paraguayan media, is considered one of the largest against money laundering in that country.

The crime has shocked Colombia and Paraguay. The Colombian Police reported this Tuesday night that an international search team for those responsible has been organized. The DEA is part of the joint work deployed.

In addition, the Colombian government offers a reward of two billion pesos for useful information and it is hoped that this will allow rapid progress to be made in identifying those who perpetrated the homicide.

Presumed murderer of Marcelo Pecci. (Photo: Colombian National Police and Prosecutor’s Office)

The authorities have said that they will work on verifying the spectrum in a wide range of action, cameras and other elements that allow the collection of evidence to reach the material and intellectual authors of the crime.

For now, the National Police and the Attorney General’s Office released the first images of the alleged murderer of the Paraguayan prosecutor on Tuesday afternoon. Marcelo Pucci.

Source: Elcomercio