QCOSTARICA – Adrian Salmeron Silva, the only suspect in the Matapalo massacre, the multiple murder in Guanacaste last Sunday, will be tried in Nicaragua.
The suspect was “paraded” at a press conference Saturday, the first time Nicaraguan authorities have officially referred to the case since Friday’s capture of Salmeron in the small community of Las Mojarras, in Matagalpa, Nicaragua, some 100 kilometres north of Managua.
In Costa Rica, authorities are scurrying to meet Nicaragua’s deadline of Monday to file an international arrest warrant against the suspect, 72 hours after arrest, the maximum time Nicaraguan authorities can hold the suspect without a court appearance,
“The request for an international arrest warrant is vital to remove any possibility of he (Salmeron) going free,” said Jorge Chavarria, Costa Rica’s Attorney General.
According Chavarria, the same day Friday, the Judicial Investigation Organization (OIJ) delivered them the case files on the multiple homicide.
Chavarria said on Friday night he spoke to his counterpart in Nicaragua, Ana Julia Guido, who expressed willingness to do everything possible that the multiple homicide does not go unpunished. The AG said the cooperation in this case in the neighbour country has been positive.
With few details reported, Salmeron will be tried in his country, as expected, since article 43 of Nicaragua’s Constitution does not permit extradition.
In addition, article 16 of the Criminal Code and article 19 of the Criminal Procedures allows Nicaragua to bring to trial its citizens for “crimes committed outside the country”, under the principle of universality.
Salmeron is alleged to have killed is mistress, Jessica Durán Guerra (39), a Costa Rican, her husband, Dirk Beauchamp (57), an U.S. national and the couple’s three children, aged 12, 8 and 6. Two other children, a 4 year-old by Jessica and Dirk and a seven month old, believed to be fathered by the suspect, survived the brutal attack.
