memorandum of justification concerning human ... - Just the Facts

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Annex I: Status of Soacha Murder Cases
Below is a list of the 13 victims of the Soacha Massacre, and the 75 members (ten
of the individuals listed below are listed for multiple cases) of the Armed Forces found to
be linked to their murders as of May 20, 2009. 58
A. Fair Leonardo Porras Bernal, a mentally challenged resident of the San Nicolas
de Soacha neighborhood, disappeared from the area on January 8, 2008, and
appeared dead on January 12, 2008, in the district of La Esperanza in the
municipality of Abrego (Norte de Santander). Six members from the Army‘s 15 th
Infantry Battalion ―General Francisco de Paula Santander‖ of Ocaña were charged
with aggravated homicide, aggravated forced disappearance, and criminal
conspiracy in connection with his murder, and were preventatively detained on
May 14, 2009:
1. Army Major General Marco Wilson Quihano (also charged with false
presentation of public documents)
2. Army Lieutenant Sergeant Diego Adail Vargas Cortes (also charged with
false presentation of public documents)
3. Army Second Corporal Carlos Manuel Gonzales Alfonso
4. Army Professional Soldier Richard Contreras Aguilar
5. Army Professional Soldier Garcia Corzo Ricardo
6. Army Professional Soldier Zapata Roldan Carlos Antonio
B. Julio Cesar Mesa, a construction worker and resident of the San Nicolás de
Soacha neighborhood, disappeared on January 26, 2008, and was found dead on
January 27, 2008, in the district of El Espejo in the municipality of San Calixto
(Norte de Santander). Jonathan Orlando Soto Bermudez, a minor and student,
disappeared on January 26, 2008, in the San Nicholas de Soacha neighborhood and
was found dead on January 27, 2008, in the district of Chircas in Ocaña
municipality (Norte de Santander). Nine members of the Army‘s 15 th Infantry
Battalion ―General Francisco de Paula of Santander‖ of Ocaña were charged with
aggravated homicide, aggravated forced disappearance, and aggravated criminal
conspiracy in connection with their murders, and were preventatively detained on
May 15, 2009:
7. Army Major Henry Mauricio Blanco Barbosa (also charged with false
presentation of public documents)
8. Army First Corporal Manuel Zorrilla Agamez (also charged with false
presentation of public documents)
9. Army Professional Soldier Jose Orlando Gonzales Ceballos (also listed
58 Time frame available as of July 31, 2009.
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