In a horrific crime that unfolded on Friday, August 25, 2023, the rural area of San Onofre, Sucre, was disturbed by a gruesome massacre. Three family members, including two women and a man, fell victim to a brutal machete attack, orchestrated by the ex-partner of one of the victims.
The shocking crime occurred around noon at La Fe farm in the El Peñón district, a remote area near the Troncal del Caribe connecting Cartagena with Sincelejo. The assailant, armed with a machete, ruthlessly carried out the attacks in the presence of two young children.
Eugenia Guzmán Méndez, the former partner, attempted to flee towards Cartagena, but the perpetrator relentlessly pursued her and ultimately claimed her life. Her parents, Fernán Covos Tarrás and Orleida Beltrán Méndez, valiantly tried to intervene but tragically met the same fate in front of the helpless minors, aged 4 and 5, who were confined in a room during the harrowing incident.
Local authorities quickly responded to the distressing scene, confirming the identity of the victims and the brutal nature of the crime. The murderer, identified as the ex-husband of Eugenia Guzmán, managed to escape the area, prompting the mayor of San Onofre, Jesús Julio Teherán, to convene a security council with the Navy, Police, and Army.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the motive behind the massacre was rooted in a crime of passion. The regional forces, working in tandem with central authorities in Bogotá, have initiated a comprehensive inquiry into the triple homicide.
“We deeply regret the events that occurred today in our municipality, where three people—two women and a man—were ruthlessly massacred. Due to the magnitude of these events, the investigation has been designated and coordinated from the central level in Bogotá,” expressed Mayor Julio Teherán during a press briefing.
In the aftermath of the tragedy, a psychological support and accompaniment route has been activated, involving an interdisciplinary team from the Family Commissary and the Office of the Public Defender. The Colombian Family Welfare Institute (ICBF) is expected to join efforts to assess and provide care for the traumatized children in the wake of this shocking triple homicide. The community of San Onofre grapples with grief and demands justice for the heinous act that has shattered the peace of their close-knit town.
