Authorities in Ecuador are investigating the targeted killing of two Venezuelan women, cousins who were found dead in a remote agricultural area of the El Oro province. The victims, identified as Génesis Tomedez and Joselyn Nazareth, were discovered on the night of April 6 after an emergency alert was triggered through the ECU911 system.
The discovery took place in a banana-growing sector characterized by difficult access, where the bodies were located on the side of a rural road near a local hacienda. Police officials from the National Directorate of Investigation of Crimes Against Life (DINASED) were dispatched to the scene to secure the perimeter and initiate a forensic recovery of the victims.
The investigation into the case of these two Venezuelan women executed in Ecuador suggests a premeditated attack. Preliminary reports indicate that both women suffered multiple gunshot wounds to the head, with clear entry and exit points, pointing toward a professional execution rather than a random act of violence.
Forensic Evidence and the Execution Hypothesis
At the crime scene, investigators recovered several ballistic markers, including 9mm caliber shell casings. The precision of the wounds and the choice of location—a secluded area far from witnesses—have led police to conclude that the victims were likely transported alive to the site before being killed.
The nature of the crime highlights a pattern of violence often seen in rural corridors of Ecuador’s legal system, where remote areas are used to conceal high-impact crimes. Because the victims had been residing in the country for a short period and lacked a direct support network of immediate family members within Ecuador, the initial stages of the investigation faced significant hurdles in identification.
The Role of a Shared Symbol in Identification
For several days, the bodies remained unidentified at the Forensic Center of Machala. The breakthrough in the case came not from official documentation, but from a personal detail: a shared tattoo. Both women bore a tattoo of a bee, accompanied by the date 07.10.2021.
This specific mark allowed acquaintances to confirm the identities of Tomedez and Nazareth and establish their familial link as cousins. The tattoo served as the primary piece of evidence that bridged the gap between the “unidentified” status of the bodies and the notification of their relatives in Venezuela.
The Vulnerability of Migrant Populations
The deaths of Génesis Tomedez and Joselyn Nazareth underscore the precarious situation of Venezuelan migrants in the region. Having arrived in Ecuador recently, the women were operating without a local safety net, a factor that complicates both the immediate investigation and the subsequent legal proceedings.
The lack of immediate family in the country has created a bureaucratic bottleneck. While the identities have been confirmed, the process of managing the bodies remains stalled at the Legal Medicine office. The authorities are currently waiting for relatives from Venezuela to establish formal contact to begin the complex process of repatriation.
| Date/Phase | Event | Status/Detail |
|---|---|---|
| April 6 | Discovery of bodies | Found in El Oro province via ECU911 alert |
| Initial Phase | Forensic Analysis | Bodies held as unidentified in Machala |
| Identification | Tattoo Verification | Bee tattoo and date 07.10.2021 confirmed identities |
| Current Status | Legal Medicine | Awaiting repatriation requests from Venezuela |
Legal and Humanitarian Implications
The case is now being handled as a targeted execution. Investigators are looking into the victims’ recent movements and contacts to determine if the motive was linked to organized crime, a personal dispute, or the systemic vulnerabilities that often target migrants in transit or settlement. In the province of El Oro, which serves as a critical hub for agricultural exports and border movement, the intersection of local gang activity and migrant vulnerability remains a point of concern for human rights observers.
The use of 9mm ammunition is common in various types of criminal activity in the region, but the “execution-style” nature of the headshots suggests a level of intent and planning that differentiates this crime from a robbery gone wrong.
Note: This report contains details regarding violent crime. For those affected by loss or violence, support services are available through international humanitarian organizations and local mental health crises lines.
The next critical step in the proceedings is the formal coordination between the Ecuadorian consulate and the Venezuelan authorities to facilitate the transfer of the remains. The investigation remains open, with police continuing to analyze ballistic evidence and potential leads regarding the perpetrators.
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