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Court convicts seven former police officers over the April 2024 detention, torture and killing of Eldin Choc and Milton Santamaria at a police station in San Andres Itzapa.
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Former police chief Edy Vasquez and another officer receive 60-year prison terms, while five other defendants are handed sentences ranging from eight to 30 years.
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Prosecutors say the victims were subjected to homophobic remarks before their deaths, while police allegedly attempted to portray the killings as a traffic accident.
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Rights groups hail the convictions as significant in a country where activists recorded about 30 violent deaths of LGBTQ people last year and hate crime is not specifically defined in law.
October 23, (THEWILL) – A Guatemalan court has sentenced seven former police officers to prison terms of up to 60 years over the torture and killing of a gay couple in a case prosecutors and human rights organisations described as an extrajudicial execution driven by prejudice.
The victims, 28-year-old Guatemalan Eldin Choc and 45-year-old Salvadoran-Canadian Milton Santamaria, were detained in April 2024 following an alleged altercation at a shop before being taken to a police station in San Andres Itzapa.
Prosecutor Marco Escobar said the two men were beaten and tortured by officers who made homophobic remarks during the assault before they were killed.
Delivering judgement, Judge Maria Castellanos condemned the crime as “despicable” and imposed some of the heaviest sentences on the former officers involved.
Edy Vasquez, who was the police chief at the time of the killings, was sentenced on Wednesday to 60 years in prison. Another former police officer was also handed a 60-year term, while a third received 30 years for extrajudicial execution.
Two female former officers were sentenced to 11 years each for dereliction of duty and discrimination after the court found that they directed homophobic remarks at the victims.
The remaining two defendants received prison terms of eight and 10 years respectively for offences including unlawful detention, abuse of authority, obstruction of justice and dereliction of duty.
The case drew particular outrage because of an alleged attempt to conceal how the men died.
Police initially reported that Choc and Santamaria had died in a traffic accident. Santamaria’s body was taken to a hospital, while Choc’s remains were discovered days later in a ravine, with one of his hands mutilated.
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Two firefighters had previously been sentenced to one and three years in prison after admitting that, under pressure from police, they participated in an attempt to conceal the fact that Santamaria was already dead when he was transported to hospital.
Choc’s brother, Henry Choc, welcomed the verdict, telling reporters that he was satisfied with the outcome.
“Justice has been served”, he said.
Abraham Abrego, Legal Director of human rights organisation Cristosal and a plaintiff in the case, said securing convictions was important to ensure that the killings did not go unpunished.
“This is clearly a crime motivated by prejudice”, Abrego said.
Activists gathered outside the courthouse during proceedings, carrying banners bearing the message: “Homophobia kills”.
Amnesty International and other human rights organisations described the killings as part of a broader pattern of violence against LGBTQ people in Guatemala, saying the case added to numerous hate crimes recorded against the community.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
