In Ecuador, South America, a disturbing find of two sacks containing eight human heads has initiated a police inquiry. The grisly discovery was made in the canton of Naranjal, situated in the central Guayas province.
At kilometre 66, the severed heads were found with a chilling note stating “No stealing allowed,” as revealed by Guayas Police Commander Colonel Marcelo Castillo.
The primary theory behind this gruesome discovery, as proposed by the authorities, is a violent clash between criminal factions.
Following the discovery, the on-duty prosecutor has instructed the transfer of the remains to the Naranjal morgue for further forensic analysis to establish the identities of the deceased.
In response to the unsettling finding, law enforcement has commenced a murder investigation, focusing on a potential conflict among local gangs.
Reported by Extra, the victims, whose heads were recovered, are believed to be males aged between 16 and 22, with seven out of the eight victims positively identified.
The identified victims include Luis Jhonny Zambrano Macías, Anthony Silvano Mendoza Quiroz, Limber Yancarlos Romero Baren, Josué Gregorio Romero Reyes, Kelvin Efraín Mendoza Meza, Édison Rodolfo Mera Macías, and Cristopher, all aged between 16 and 22. The identity of the eighth victim remains unknown.
Family members of the identified victims have declined to comment on the incident, while the canton’s forensic doctor, Fidel Penaranda, indicated that the heads were likely severed approximately 60 hours before their discovery.
Local residents, including restaurant owner Welleginton Roman, have expressed shock at the discovery, stating that it has disrupted their Carnival festivities.
Sara Mota mentioned that the unsettling news has deterred people from going out after dark, leading to a decline in holiday celebrations and charitable donations of unsold food.
As specialized units from the National Directorate of Specialised Investigations are deployed by the National Police and the Prosecutor’s Office to probe the case, this distressing find adds to a concerning trend across Ecuador.
The discovery of these eight heads brings the total found in Ecuador to 13, following a prior discovery of five heads in the adjacent coastal province of Manabi on January 11, according to reports from Latercera. Those five heads were located on the popular tourist beach of Puerto Lopez.
